The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) opened 2026 with solid investment momentum, approving 18 new projects worth P12.86 billion during its first Board meeting of the year.
The approvals are expected to generate USD59.74 million in exports and create 1,005 jobs, underscoring the agency’s role as a key driver of the country’s export-led growth.
PEZA said the greenlighted investments include 13 locator enterprises and five ecozone developers, reflecting sustained investor confidence in the Philippines as a competitive manufacturing, services, and logistics hub despite global uncertainties.
January approvals were anchored by three large-scale projects that strengthened PEZA’s medium- to long-term development pipeline.
Topping the list is a major tourism ecozone enterprise valued at more than P5 billion, approved for establishment in Parañaque City. The project aligns with the government’s push to grow high-value urban tourism, hospitality, and services exports through integrated, sustainable, and well-planned ecozone developments.
Complementing this were two ecozone development projects in Misamis Occidental and Batangas, with a combined estimated investment of P5.9 billion.
These developments will expand PEZA’s registered land bank in the regions and ensure the availability of future-ready industrial and commercial spaces for export-oriented firms looking beyond Metro Manila.
PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga said investors are now taking a more deliberate approach, prioritizing resilience, efficiency, and long-term value. “What is encouraging is that the Philippines continues to offer stable fundamentals that allow export-oriented investments to move forward with confidence,” he said.
With a stronger regional footprint and a firming export pipeline, PEZA enters 2026 positioned to support inclusive growth, regional dispersal of investments, and higher-quality jobs across the country.
The agency also signaled continued reforms to streamline approvals and enhance investor aftercare nationwide efforts.
