APPROVED investments across the country’s top three investment promotion agencies increased by 39 percent to P1.40 trillion from January to September.
The Board of Investments (BOI) topped investment approvals with P942.90 billion, 23 percent higher than the P770.70 billion seen during the same period last year.
Next was the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), whose P309.60 billion was a 76.6-percent increase from the P175.40 billion recorded last year.
Meanwhile, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) had P145.46 billion from P59.96 billion last year. The 142.5-percent growth was the fastest among the top three agencies.
Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the performance of the investment agencies demonstrated that global and local businesses continued to see the country as an ideal location for expansion.
“Reaching P1.4 trillion in approved investments within nine months is a clear vote of confidence from the business community in the Philippines’ strong economic fundamentals and policy direction,” she said.
Roque said the DTI was working with agencies like the BOI, PEZA, and BCDA to unlock strategic industries and economic zones.
She added that ensuring investor optimism directly translates to resilient supply chains, thriving local enterprises, and quality jobs for Filipinos.
Finance Secretary Frederick Go, meanwhile, highlighted the broader economic benefits of increased investment approvals.
He said these would allow businesses to grow, government to earn revenues, public services to funded, and for jobs to be created.
For the BOI, the nine-month performance was driven by the renewable energy sector, with P745.10 billion in investments or 79 percent of the total.
This was followed by real estate with P54.10 billion (5.7 percent), transportation and storage with P49.50 (5.3 percent). Other contributors were accomodation and food service activities (P22.10 billion, 2.3 percent) and information and communications (P18.60 billion, 2.0 percent).
The BCDA said the surge in their investment approvals was led by a solar cell manufacturing facility at the Filinvest Innovation Park in New Clark City worth P93.69 billion.
It added that it also had P1.78 billion new investments in the hospitality and tourism sector, particularly through projects in Camp John Hay in Baguio and Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang said the growth reflected investor trust in the BCDA’s economic zones. He said that they would remain focused on preparing ecozones for high-impact investments through infrastructure that would support business industries and local communities.
The BCDA said its performance was further supported by infrastructure developments related to the Luzon Economic Corridor, such as logistics networks and other ways to connect Central Luzon to Metro Manila and international markets.
The agency also talked about the agreements signed during the first nine months of the year, which includes those with Square East Commercial Corporation, Stern Real Estate and Development Corp., Anrey, Inc., Zoo and Theme Parks Services, Inc. and Grace Farm Nature and Resort Corp.
The top investment agencies said their unified strategy was anchored on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s agenda and reforms. They assured that they would continue to build investor-ready ecosystems, attract investments, and translate these investments into inclusive growth and quality jobs for Filipinos.
