Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary and Board of Investments (BOI) chairperson Cristina Roque announced that BOI has approved a total of ₱1.56 trillion in investments in 2025, breaching the ₱1.5 trillion mark for the second consecutive year and registering the second-highest level of investment approvals in the agency’s 58-year history. The approved projects are expected to generate 40,175 jobs nationwide across 322 projects.
Investment approvals in 2025 were led by the energy sector, which recorded ₱970.09 billion in approved investments, reflecting sustained momentum in power generation and related infrastructure projects. This was followed by Mass Housing with ₱241.65 billion, and Transportation and Storage, which secured ₱230.06 billion, highlighting continued investments in logistics, mobility, and connectivity. Completing the top five sectors were Manufacturing with ₱62.16 billion and Information and Communication at ₱26.56 billion, reflecting growing demand for industrial expansion and digital infrastructure.
Of the total approved investments, local investments accounted for ₱1.41 trillion. The National Capital Region (NCR) emerged as the leading investment destination, attracting ₱383.71 billion in approved investments. This was followed by the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) with ₱373.39 billion, and Calabarzon(Region 4-A) at ₱257.83 billion, reflecting strong regional participation in large-scale and strategic projects. The Bicol Region ranked fourth with ₱123.61 billion, while Central Luzon (Region 3I) completed the top five with ₱105.13 billion in approved investments.
Foreign investments approved in 2025 amounted to ₱149.45 billion, led by Singapore with ₱80.37 billion in approved investments. The Netherlands followed with ₱33.29 billion, while Thailand accounted for ₱7.75 billion. The United States ranked fourth with ₱6.91 billion, and Switzerland completed the top five with ₱4.33 billion in approved investments.
Roque said that maintaining investment approvals above the ₱1.5 trillion level for two consecutive years reflects policy credibility and strong investor confidence.
“Breaching the ₱1.5 trillion mark for two consecutive years and posting the second-highest investment approvals in BOI’s 58-year history highlights the Philippines’ growing competitiveness and the sustained trust of both local and foreign investors,” said Roque.
“These investments reinforce our commitment to building a resilient, innovation-driven economy anchored on sustainability and inclusive growth,” she added. In addition to the approval level, BOI projects play a catalytic role in industrial development as these are strategic projects that transform the Philippine economy or address social issues—covering renewable energy, physical and digital infrastructure, high-value manufacturing, modern transport services and logistics, and mass housing.
Looking ahead, Secretary Roque highlighted strong investment prospects in renewable energy, electric vehicle components, semiconductors and electronics, smart manufacturing, digital infrastructure, high-tech agriculture, and data center development, which are expected to anchor the country’s next phase of industrial growth. “There are several big-ticket projects in the BOI pipeline that we are actively assessing, even through the very last days of 2025. Unfortunately, we need more time to complete the evaluation process, especially as these are large-scale and very strategic projects.”
The BOI follows a prudent and thorough evaluation process to ensure that these projects are technically sound, compliant with regulatory requirements, and aligned with the country’s long-term development objectives.
“Our focus moving forward is to ensure that these investments translate into quality jobs, technology transfer, and sustainable economic growth that benefits Filipinos nationwide,” Roque added. PR