THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) approved 52 new and expansion projects worth P35.37 billion in the first two months of 2026, as the agency moves to strengthen ecozone investments while closely monitoring risks from escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Peza Director General Tereso Panga said the approvals highlight continued investor confidence and the agency’s strategy to diversify industries and expand economic zones across the regions.
“While Peza is cautiously optimistic about achieving double-digit growth in investment approvals this year, the approval of 52 projects already underscores the continued diversification of industries within our ecozones and the steady expansion of investments across the countryside,” Panga said.
The projects approved from January to February are expected to generate over 5,000 direct jobs and produce $10.44 billion in projected exports. The figure represents a 33.3 percent increase from the 39 projects approved in the same period in 2025.
Foreign investors behind the projects include companies from South Korea, Indonesia, the British Virgin Islands, China and Japan, reflecting a broader investor base across Peza zones.
The approvals cover 40 locator firms involved in manufacturing, information technology and business process management (IT-BPM), logistics and facilities development, as well as 12 ecozone development projects
February approvals
For February alone, the Peza Board approved 34 projects worth P22.5 billion, expected to generate 4,044 direct jobs and $10.38 billion in exports.
The projects include 13 export manufacturing firms, five IT-BPM companies, five facilities development projects, two logistics firms, one domestic market enterprise, one tourism venture and seven ecozone developments located across Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, Central and Western Visayas and the Ilocos Region.
Three major ventures alone are expected to invest P18.37 billion in projects in Bulacan, Pampanga and Tarlac, reflecting continued expansion of economic zones in growth corridors outside Metro Manila.
Prudent investment outlook
Despite the strong pipeline, Peza said it is adopting a prudent investment outlook as geopolitical tensions — particularly conflicts in the Middle East — create uncertainty in global markets.
Panga said the agency is closely monitoring developments that could affect supply chains, energy costs and investor sentiment.
Asia relies heavily on energy shipments from the Middle East, with nearly 80 percent of oil and 90 percent of liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route.
“I understand the uncertainty that these global challenges pose, but Peza remains confident in the Philippines’ long-term competitiveness,” Panga said, adding that the agency is ready to recalibrate investment targets if global conditions shift. / KOC