The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) approved PHP 58.947 billion worth of new and expansion projects in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 294.26% increase compared to PHP 14.951 billion in Q1 2024, the agency announced after its March 28 board meeting.
The agency said the total represents nearly 24% of its full-year investment target and signals strong investor confidence in the Philippines’ economic prospects under enhanced fiscal incentive frameworks.
PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga said the agency’s performance reflects continued progress in investment promotion and facilitation, supported by new policy reforms and regional competitiveness.
“PEZA’s continued upward trajectory reflects our strong commitment towards investment promotion and facilitation, coupled with our most generous fiscal incentives under the CREATE MORE, and the other advantages placing the Philippines in a sweet spot for economic growth and development,” said Panga.
He added, “PEZA continues to play a vital role in advancing the country’s economic resilience through sustained job creation, increased exports, and enhanced investment attraction.”
During the March board meeting alone, PEZA approved 27 projects with a total investment value of PHP 6.014 billion — up 110.66% from the PHP 2.855 billion approved in March 2024.
These latest projects are projected to generate USD 223.497 million in export revenues and create more than 4,500 direct jobs for Filipino workers.
The approved initiatives span across multiple sectors, including 12 information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) projects, 10 export manufacturing ventures, two utility projects, two economic zone development initiatives, and one domestic enterprise.
The projects will be strategically located across Metro Manila and Regions III, IV, VII, and X.
Among the key projects are two big-ticket investments totaling PHP 2.615 billion, including a water treatment facility in Batangas and a coconut milk production plant in Misamis Oriental.
The cumulative impact of all 66 approved projects this year includes projected export revenues of around USD 497.461 million and the creation of approximately 16,000 new jobs.
DG Panga emphasized that the outlook for the second quarter remains strong, citing a growing pipeline of investment missions and international delegations.
“We are bullish that we will sustain this upward trajectory coming into the 2nd quarter of the year as we intensify our investment promotion initiatives partnered with the CREATE MORE incentives, the most generous fiscal incentives among ASEAN to date,” said Panga.
The CREATE MORE program — an enhanced version of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act — offers streamlined, performance-based tax incentives to attract foreign and domestic investors.
Panga also revealed that PEZA has hosted inbound delegations and received investment inquiries from the United States, Japan, China, Taiwan, and Spain.
“We are anticipating the influx of more investors looking into the Philippines for their offshore operations in Asia,” he said.
PEZA continues to position the Philippines as a prime investment hub in Southeast Asia by developing ecozones that promote sustainable and inclusive growth.
The agency’s mandate to “ecozone the Philippines” aligns with broader national goals to increase foreign direct investment, generate employment, and boost export revenues, while balancing development with environmental stewardship.
In 2024, PEZA approved PHP 175.7 billion in investments, a 21.99% growth from the previous year, and supported 60 export processing zones nationwide.
Analysts view the Q1 2025 surge as an early indicator of investor optimism, driven by fiscal reforms, global supply chain diversification, and the country’s expanding manufacturing and IT-BPM capabilities.
