The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) forecasts a 10% growth in investment registration in 2025, significantly slower than the growth recorded in the past three years.
PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga said that the agency aims to register P235 billion worth of investment pledges in 2025 from the P214.176 billion approved in 2024, which is 21.89% higher than the 2023 approvals of P175.71 billion.
Panga explained that the slower growth forecast is aligned with the IT Business Process Association of the Philippines’ growth target of 9% growth and Semiconductor and Electronics Industries of the Philippines Inc.’s flat growth or 5% growth for next year. Another consideration is the 7.5% growth projection for the global electronics industry.
“We are also coming in from a high investment level at P214.1 billion this year,” Panga added.
Panga expressed confidence of maintaining growth trajectory on positive forecasts for the Philippine economy in the coming years.
To achieve the growth goal for 2025, Panga said that PEZA will focus on attracting investments in a wider range of sectors, although the electronics sector will continue to play a key role in driving the country’s export portfolio.
The other investment growth drivers include electric vehicles (EVs), smart manufacturing, data centers, food agro-processing, green ore mineral processing, renewable and alternative energy production, marine-based industries, and pharmaceutical ecozones.
PEZA is also confident in attracting more foreign direct investments (FDIs) through a series of investment missions and joint effort engagements.
These initiatives aim to advance pivotal industries, including the pharmaceutical sector, while strengthening partnerships with academic institutions and integrating MSMEs into the ecozone value chain.
PEZA is also leveraging on the newly passed CREATE MORE Act which makes the Philippines more competitive in the ASEAN given the most attractive tax and investment incentives offering. This bodes well with the President’s bid to graduate the country to upper middle-income economy by 2025 and position the Philippines as an investment hub in the region.
The continuous upward trajectory of PEZA is in line with the administration’s aggressive investment attraction and facilitation and sound economic fundamentals. PEZA is closely working with the Department of Trade and Industry to further enhance its goals and reach its ecozone targets for next year.
