Investment pledges approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) for the year jumped by 22 percent to more than ₱260 billion from last year, reflecting investor confidence in the country’s ecozone system amid domestic and external headwinds.

In a statement, the investment promotion agency (IPA) said it approved ₱260.89 billion worth of investments from January to December, surpassing the ₱214.18 billion recorded a year ago.

The investment pledges comprise 314 new and expansion projects, up by 23 percent from 255 last year. These projects are expected to translate into actual developments within ecozones.

Among these projects, PEZA registered a total of 41 big-ticket projects worth ₱214.6 billion.

The approved projects for the year are expected to generate $11.52 billion in export revenues, more than double last year’s $4.69 billion.

These projects are also expected to create 78,737 direct jobs, nearly nine percent higher than the 72,413 jobs anticipated in the previous year.

Of the registered projects, the manufacturing sector accounted for the lion’s share, with ₱150.52 billion in investments, or 57.7 percent of the year’s total value.

Other sectors that secured investments include ecozone development with ₱76.47 billion, followed by information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) with ₱11.09 billion, while other industries drew in the remaining ₱22.82 billion.

By location, 270 projects, or 86 percent of the total, will be developed in Luzon, particularly in Calabarzon and areas along the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC). At a distant second, the Visayas will host 33 projects, with an additional 11 projects located in Mindanao.

In terms of investment sources, local investors poured in ₱153.83 billion in capital.

Meanwhile, foreign investments amounted to ₱107.06 billion, with Japan topping the list at ₱32.6 billion, followed by the Cayman Islands, South Korea, Singapore, and China.

“We are proud to share that despite global headwinds and economic challenges, PEZA has defied the odds as it sustained its upward investment growth trajectory—anchored on the continued trust and confidence of investors in the Philippines, and most especially in our ecozones,” said PEZA Director General Tereso Panga.

Investment sentiment in the Philippines has largely been subdued this year following the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on the country’s goods entering the United States (US).

Following the initial announcement of these tariffs, PEZA saw approvals dip from April to June as unpredictability gripped the global investment landscape.

Philippine exports to the US have been subjected to a 19-percent tariff rate since August, easing concerns over major policy changes that could curtail export growth.

It is also no secret that the country’s economic appeal has been affected by the ongoing corruption scandal involving flood control projects. Panga, however, earlier said that he has not yet seen the impact of this issue on investments flowing into the country.

Registered investments for the year exceeded PEZA’s low-end 2025 target of ₱250 billion by 4.36 percent.

It is also the first time the agency has surpassed ₱250 billion in a decade, after securing ₱285.03 billion in investment pledges in 2015.

Panga said this underscores PEZA’s strong momentum and the growing appeal of ecozones, where foreign and local investors register their projects to qualify for incentives and streamline business processes, among other benefits.

“Building on this momentum, we remain focused on strengthening our ecozone ecosystem, expanding high-quality investments, and creating more jobs for Filipinos, as we position PEZA for sustained growth and greater opportunities in the years ahead,” he added.

For the coming year, PEZA is targeting ₱300 billion in investment approvals. The agency last reached that level in 2012, when it garnered ₱311.91 billion.

Panga said his agency will bank on the creation of new ecozones to further position the country as an attractive investment hub.

Following the recent proclamation of three new ecozones expected to attract ₱3 billion worth of investments, Panga said there are still 14 ecozones in the pipeline awaiting President Marcos’ approval.

“As more ecozones are proclaimed by the President, like the first Mega Ecozone in Ihawig, Palawan, and a Pacific gateway in Pantao, Albay, we are confident that the influx of investments and expansion of projects at PEZA will continue,” the director general said.

“Locators are seeing the value of expanding and consolidating their supply chains in the Philippines,” he added.