The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) kept its investment momentum in 2026, with approved projects surging nearly 67 percent in the first seven months as export-oriented manufacturers and high-value industries continued to expand despite an uncertain global economy.
From January to July, the PEZA Board approved 174 new and expansion projects worth P151.901 billion, up 66.99 percent from P90.961 billion a year earlier. The number of approved projects also increased 16 percent from 150 in the same period in 2025.
The approvals are expected to generate USD5.905 billion in exports, nearly triple the USD2.003 billion projected a year ago, while creating 26,047 direct jobs nationwide.
PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga said the figures point to sustained investor confidence and improving project quality.
“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,” Panga said.
Manufacturing remained PEZA’s biggest growth engine with 76 approved projects, followed by information technology-business process management, ecozone development, logistics, facilities, tourism, utilities, and domestic market enterprises.
Large-scale investments continued to dominate approvals. Twenty-five big-ticket projects worth P131.66 billion accounted for nearly 87 percent of the total investment value during the seven-month period.
The momentum extended into July, when the PEZA Board approved 17 projects valued at P11.212 billion. Those investments are projected to generate USD2.538 billion in exports, a 241 percent increase from the same month last year.
Panga attributed the sustained pipeline to reforms such as the CREATE MORE Act, the Strategic Investment Priority Plan, and PEZA’s intensified investment promotion efforts.
The latest figures suggest that despite softer global growth and heightened trade uncertainty, export-oriented investors continue to view the Philippines as an attractive manufacturing base. For PEZA, the challenge now is converting strong investment approvals into operating factories, higher exports, and quality jobs that can sustain the country’s industrial expansion.
