Approved investments rose 94.42 percent year on year to P140.688 billion from P72.362 billion in the same period last year, PEZA said in a news release.
The growth was driven by 157 projects, primarily in electronics manufacturing, information technology-business process management (IT-BPM), and ecozone development.
The projects are expected to create more than 23,000 jobs and generate over $3.3 billion in export revenues.
Among the top investment destinations were the Cordillera Administrative Region with P50 billion, followed by Central Luzon with P34.7 billion, Calabarzon with P31.5 billion, and the National Capital Region with P11.25 billion.
By enterprise type, export manufacturing accounted for P78 billion in approved investments, followed by ecozone development with P24.1 billion, tourism with P20.3 billion, and domestic market enterprises with P5.7 billion.
Strategic framework
The surge was attributed to the government's strategic investment framework and a diverse pool of international investors, with the Netherlands emerging as the largest source of capital, followed by South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Germany, and Japan.
"PEZA's first-half approvals send a clear message: the Philippines remains firmly on the radar of global investors," PEZA Director General Tereso Panga said.
"As companies reconfigure supply chains and look for competitive locations in the region, PEZA is ready to provide the enabling environment, investor support, and ecozone platform needed to turn these opportunities into real projects, jobs, and exports," he added.
June approvals
In June alone, the PEZA Board approved 22 new and expansion projects worth P15.851 billion. The projects are expected to generate $401.054 million in exports and create 3,218 direct jobs.
The approved projects included 12 export manufacturing ventures, five IT-BPM projects, three ecozone development projects, one logistics project, and one domestic market enterprise.
The investments will be located across Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Central Visayas, the Davao Region, and the Caraga Region, supporting more balanced and geographically dispersed economic development.
SIPP boost
The accelerated implementation of the Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) 2025-2028 was cited as a key driver behind the surge in investment approvals and projected job creation during the first half of 2026.
The SIPP serves as the Philippines' flagship investment promotion framework and is designed to attract high-value, innovation-driven, and export-oriented investments.
Beyond the SIPP, PEZA said sustained investment inflows continue to be reinforced by the government's infrastructure modernization, digital transformation initiatives, improvements in logistics and connectivity, energy and renewable energy projects, workforce upskilling programs, and the expansion of PEZA economic zones across key growth centers.
According to PEZA, these initiatives, together with its investment promotion campaigns and strategic engagement with investors, have strengthened the country's position as a preferred destination for investments in manufacturing, technology-driven industries, logistics, and business services. — Connie Fernandez-Brojan | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
