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The Philippine Economic Zone Authority approved P151.9 billion in investments for the first seven months of the year, including 17 new and expansion projects worth P11.2 billion given the green light during the board meeting on July 16
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From January to July 2026, PEZA approved 174 new and expansion projects, up 16% from 150 in the same period in 2025
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Approved projects are projected to generate US$5.905 billion in exports, a 194.82% increase from $2.003 billion last year, and create 26,047 direct jobs
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Manufacturing led approvals with 76 projects, followed by 28 IT-BPM, 26 ecozone development, 15 facilities, 13 logistics, 10 domestic market, 4 tourism, and 2 utilities projects
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Luzon hosted 141 projects, Visayas 22, and Mindanao 11
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The Netherlands was the top investment source, followed by South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and Germany.
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25 big-ticket projects worth Php131.661 billion accounted for nearly 87% of total approved investments for the seven-month period
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) approved P151.9 billion in investments for the first seven months of the year, including 17 new and expansion projects worth P11.2 billion given the green light during its board meeting on July 16.
“The first seven months of 2026 demonstrate that investor confidence in the Philippines remains strong. More importantly, we are seeing investments that are increasingly export-oriented, technology-driven, and aligned with the country’s long-term industrial development goals. These are the kinds of investments that generate quality jobs, strengthen our export sector, and deepen the Philippines’ participation in global value chains,” PEZA director general Tereso Panga said in a statement.
From January to July 2026, the PEZA Board approved 174 projects, up 16% from the same period last year’s 150, with investments reaching P151.901 billion, a 66.99% increase from P90.961 billion in 2025.
The approved projects are expected to produce US$5.905 billion in exports, almost triple the $2.003 billion from the same period last year, representing a 194.82% increase, and will generate 26,047 direct jobs across the country.
Manufacturing led PEZA’s investments with 76 projects, followed by 28 IT-BPM, 26 ecozone development, 15 facilities, 13 logistics, 10 domestic market, 4 tourism, and 2 utilities projects, showing diverse economic zone investments.
In terms of location, 141 projects will be in Luzon, 22 in the Visayas, and 11 in Mindanao.
PEZA said investor confidence remained widespread, led by the Netherlands as the main source of investment, followed by South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and Germany.
The agency’s performance was driven by 25 big-ticket projects worth P131.661 billion, nearly 87% of total investments in seven months, showing strong investor commitment to large, long-term projects.
July approvals
Building on the first half’s strong results, the PEZA Board approved 17 new and expansion projects with P11.212 billion in investments. Although this month’s investment was below July 2025’s P18.599 billion, these approvals show stronger export potential.
READ: PEZA-approved investments almost double to P140B in H1
Projected exports from July-approved projects hit US$2.538 billion, a 241.12% increase from last year’s US$744 million. Projected employment rose slightly to 2,907 jobs from 2,891 in July 2025.
“These figures tell us that, despite the economic headwinds both locally and abroad, today’s investments are increasingly moving back toward more export-intensive and higher-value operations,” said Panga.
“While monthly investment values naturally vary depending on the mix of projects approved by the Board, what matters is that the investments entering our ecozones continue to strengthen the country’s export base, create quality employment, and position the Philippines deeper within global value chains,” he added.
In July, approvals included six export manufacturing projects, four IT-BPM enterprises, three domestic market enterprises, two ecozone development projects, and two facilities, highlighting PEZA’s focus on export-led growth and industrial expansion.
The month’s performance was boosted by four major projects worth P8.818 billion, nearly 79% of July’s approved investments. These include two manufacturing projects in Batangas, an export enterprise for the domestic market in Davao del Norte, and an ecozone in Cavite.
PEZA credited the sustained investment momentum to the country’s improving climate, supported by the CREATE MORE Act, the Strategic Investment Priority Plan 2025-2028, and ongoing investment promotion in Asia, Europe, and North America.
READ: PEZA leads investment mission to Australia, New Zealand
The agency observed that recent investment missions and high-level talks with international companies are more frequently leading to formal project registrations and approvals from boards.
With over half of its annual investment target met in seven months, PEZA remains optimistic that the second half of 2026 will see continued conversion of leads into projects, boosting the country’s production, exports, and jobs.
“Despite the trade headwinds and global geopolitical challenges, the encouraging results of our first seven months reflect the stronger investment pipeline we have been building together with the Philippine economic team and our private sector partners. As global companies continue to diversify their operations and strengthen supply chain resilience, PEZA is well-positioned to convert these opportunities into new investments, quality jobs, higher exports, and long-term industrial growth for the country,” Panga said.
READ: PEZA aligns strategies with 2026 investment priority plan
