Investment approvals by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority more than doubled in the first eight months of 2026, putting the agency within reach of its P300-billion full-year target with four months remaining.
PEZA approved P216.466 billion worth of investments from January to August, up 104.53 percent from P105.834 billion in the same period last year. The tally represents 72.16 percent of its 2026 target.
The number of approved new and expansion projects also increased 9.5 percent to 196 from 179 a year earlier.
August provided a major boost, with the PEZA Board approving 22 projects worth P64.565 billion during its Aug. 20 meeting. The amount was 334.13 percent higher than the P14.872 billion approved in August 2025.
Manufacturing remained the biggest source of investment activity, accounting for 80 of the 196 projects approved through August. Economic zone development projects followed with 31, while IT-BPM accounted for 30.
The remaining approvals covered 19 facilities, 15 logistics projects, 15 export-oriented projects for the domestic market, four tourism projects, and two utilities projects.
Luzon continued to dominate investment activity, hosting 161 projects, compared with 23 in the Visayas and 12 in Mindanao. Philippine investors were the largest source of approved investments, followed by the Netherlands, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.
“Surpassing 72% of our annual investment target in just eight months is a clear testament to the Philippines’ growing strength as an investment destination,” PEZA Director General Tereso Panga said.
PEZA now needs P83.534 billion in additional approvals to meet its 2026 target. The pace so far suggests the goal is within reach, but sustaining momentum will depend on converting strong project interest into approvals across manufacturing, logistics, digital services, and other export-oriented sectors.
Panga said PEZA will focus on attracting higher-value investments, expanding export capacity, and generating jobs as it builds on the eight-month performance.
