At least five major office developments, including projects of Ayala Land Inc. and companies under the Yuchengco Group, are set to move closer to securing PEZA incentives after the government lifted the seven-year moratorium on new Information Technology (IT) Parks and IT Centers in Metro Manila.
The policy shift, formalized through Administrative Order No. 45, allows the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to once again accept, process and evaluate applications for new IT economic zones in the National Capital Region, reopening a key pipeline for office developments targeting export-oriented information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) locators.
Among the immediate beneficiaries are Ayala Land Inc.’s ARCA South 1, The Yuchengco Centre of San Lorenzo Ruiz Investment Holdings and Services Inc., Parqal of Aseana Holdings Inc., Altaire of MJ Landtrade Development Corp. and One Trium Tower of Triumvariate Development Corp. The projects had been on hold since Administrative Order No. 18 halted new IT park and IT center applications in Metro Manila in 2019. They must still obtain presidential proclamations before qualifying for PEZA registration.
The reopening also revives expansion plans among local governments, with Navotas, Manila and Valenzuela expressing interest in developing new IT parks and IT centers to attract outsourcing investments.
Property consultancy Colliers said the revised policy could unlock about 1.2 million square meters of future PEZA-accredited office space between 2026 and 2030, easing the shortage of incentive-ready offices in Metro Manila’s major business districts.
The move comes as the office market continues to rely heavily on IT-BPM demand, making PEZA accreditation a key selling point for developers competing for multinational tenants.
Beyond reviving long-delayed projects, the lifting of the moratorium signals a policy recalibration. While the government continues to promote investments in the regions, it is also acknowledging that Metro Manila remains the country’s primary gateway for high-value IT-BPM investments and needs additional PEZA-accredited office space to sustain growth.
