菲律宾PEZA批准52个经济特区项目｜出口导向型投资合规指南

Pasay City – Reinforcing ecozone-led countryside development and industry diversification, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) approved 52 new and expansion projects during its second Board Meeting last 27 February 2026 at the PEZA Head Office. PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga stated, “While PEZA is cautiously optimistic about achieving double-digit growth in investment approvals this year, the approval of 52 new and expansion projects already underscores the continued diversification of industries within our ecozones and the steady expansion of investments across the countryside. We remain focused on opening new frontiers in ecozone development by broadening industry participation, deepening regional expansion, and strengthening the overall competitiveness of our investment ecosystem.” Trade Secretary and PEZA Board Chair Maria Cristina A. Roque likewise reiterated the need for aggressive ecozone expansion to attract high-value, export-oriented investments and stimulate regional development. She emphasized that this strategy seeks to deepen the integration of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) into ecozone value chains while strengthening the country’s industrial competitiveness in line with the “Bagong Pilipinas” agenda. The PEZA Board during its second Board meeting Year-on-Year Performance From January to February 2026, PEZA approved 52 new and expansion projects worth Php 35.366 billion in investments, expected to generate over 5,000 direct Filipino jobs. This reflects a 33.33% increase compared to the 39 projects approved during the same period in 2025. Projected exports also surged to US$10.442 billion, representing a remarkable 3,711% increase year-on-year. The approvals also reflect a broadened and diversified investor base, with new leading nationalities including South Korea, Indonesia, the British Virgin Islands, China, and Japan—demonstrating strengthened global investor confidence in the Philippines. Overall, the approved projects comprise 40 locator companies across manufacturing, IT-BPM, logistics, and facilities development, along with 12 ecozone development projects. These figures highlight the growing depth of investment activity, sustained export expansion, and PEZA’s strategic push to accelerate industrial growth nationwide. January-February Board Approvals February 2026 Board Approvals For the month of February, the PEZA Board secured 34 new and expansion projects with Php 22.505 Billion in investments, projected to generate $10.382 Billion in exports, and create 4,044 direct jobs. Among the 34 projects are various types of industries, including thirteen (13) export manufacturing, five (5) IT-BPM projects, five (5) facilities development, two (2) logistics, (1) domestic market project, one (1) tourism, and seven (7) ecozone developments. These projects will be strategically located in Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, Central and Western Visayas, and the Ilocos Region. Moreover, three (3) major ventures are set to generate a combined investment of Php 18.367 Billion through their upcoming projects in Bulacan, Pampanga, and Tarlac. Spanning tourism, domestic market enterprise, and ecozone development, these big-ticket investments reflect a strong multi-sectoral enterprise mix and serve as clear proof of the continued expansion and deepening of the country’s ecozone network in growth corridors outside Metro Manila. February 2026 Board Approvals New Frontiers in Ecozone Development Ecozone development has now emerged as PEZA’s primary growth driver, ranking first and accounting for 33.18% of cumulative top ecozone locator and developer investments from 1995 to 2025. This milestone underscores the increasing strategic importance of ecozone infrastructure as the backbone of sustained export expansion, industrial clustering, and regional economic transformation. Building on this momentum, PEZA continues to pioneer future-ready ecozone models aligned with national industrial priorities. These include agro-industrial and aquamarine ecozones within the Palawan Mega Ecozone—whose implementing guidelines are targeted for release this year—as well as aerotropolis-centered ecozones designed to maximize airport-linked infrastructure and position the Philippines as a strategic logistics and manufacturing hub in the Indo-Pacific. PEZA is also strengthening partnership with the industry and the academe for the development of Knowledge, Innovation, Science and Technology (KIST) and pharma parks, fostering research-driven investments, technology transfer, and high-value industries that will further enhance the country’s competitiveness in the global economy. DG Panga expressed, “PEZA’s mandate goes beyond project approvals. Our mission is to transform every ecozone into a globally competitive, innovation-driven industrial hub that generates quality jobs, strengthens exports, and uplifts communities. By strategically expanding and modernizing our ecozones across the archipelago, we are laying down the infrastructure backbone of a more resilient, regionally balanced, and globally integrated Philippine economy.” This strategic direction is fully aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s agenda of accelerating infrastructure-led industrialization and dispersing economic opportunities beyond Metro Manila. The President has consistently underscored the need to create investment-ready growth centers in the regions—platforms that attract high-value industries, stimulate job creation, and narrow regional development gaps. In advancing this national vision, PEZA is seeking to amend its 31-year-old governing law to continuously expand and strengthen its ecozone network. With more than 430 operating economic zones nationwide, the ecozones act as critical engines for export production, technology transfer, foreign direct investment inflows, and deeper participation in global value chains. Navigating Global Uncertainties Amid rising geopolitical tensions and volatility in global energy markets, PEZA also emphasized the need for prudent and adaptive investment outlooks for the remainder of 2026. The escalation of conflicts in the Middle East and in other parts of the world, resulting in a surge in global oil prices and logistics challenges, may affect supply chains, and investor sentiment across export-oriented industries. “I understand the uncertainty that these global challenges pose, but PEZA remains confident in the Philippines’ long-term competitiveness. The Authority is closely monitoring global economic developments and stands ready to recalibrate its investment targets if necessary to reflect evolving market conditions. Our focus remains on sustaining investor confidence while ensuring that our projections remain realistic and responsive to global economic shifts,” said Director General Panga. Asia is heavily reliant on energy supplies from the Middle East, and nearly 80% of oil and 90% of LNG shipments to the region pass through the Strait of Hormuz. #