New Ecozone Projects boost PEZA approvals to over P105B

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has approved %u20B1105.83 billion worth of new and expansion projects this year, reaching 42% of its annual target for 2025.

The approvals were finalized during PEZA’s first-ever Board meeting held in Davao on Aug. 15 at the Anflo Industrial Estate in Panabo City.

PEZA Director General Tereso Panga said the move reflects the agency’s intent to expand growth outside Metro Manila. “Investors are voting with their capital, and they are choosing the Philippines as a place to grow their businesses,” he said.

In August alone, 29 projects worth %u20B114.87 billion were approved, spanning manufacturing, IT-BPM, domestic market-oriented activities, ecozone development, and facilities. These are expected to create 4,764 direct jobs.

From January to August, PEZA has greenlit 179 projects, up nearly 10% from last year, with projected exports of $3.38 billion. Employment generated from these projects is estimated at over 40,600 jobs.

Among the big-ticket approvals were two manufacturing ecozones in Tarlac, a 16-storey facility in Davao City, and a steel manufacturing expansion in Sarangani Province.

Panga added that interest from both local and foreign investors remains strong, with Cayman Islands, South Korean, Chinese, American, and Dutch firms leading in commitments.

Apart from the Board meeting, PEZA officials also toured ecozones and locator firms in Davao, Panabo, and Digos to highlight Mindanao’s growing role in the country’s industrial and logistics expansion.