14 Feb 2026 – Philippine investment approvals down 2% to P1.92 trillion in 2025

Philippine investment approvals down 2% to P1.92 trillion in 2025

By: Logan Kal-El M. Zapanta – @inquirerdotnetPhilippine Daily Inquirer / 04:00 PM February 14, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Fresh investment commitments certified by Philippine investment promotion agencies (IPAs) fell 2.04 percent to P1.92 trillion in 2025, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

Most approvals were recorded in the fourth quarter, which surged 193.8 percent to P1.1 trillion, compared with P370 billion in the same period in 2024.

Filipino investors accounted for P990 billion, or 90.6 percent of the total.

These fourth-quarter approvals are expected to generate 48,227 jobs, down 13.6 percent from 55,843 a year earlier. Of the total expected employment, 35,063 jobs, or 72.7 percent, will come from foreign-backed projects.

Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply ventures accounted for more than half of 2025 investments at P991.61 billion, or 51.6 percent.

Real estate activities followed with P327.45 billion, transportation and storage with P230.71 billion and manufacturing with P215.38 billion.

Foreign investments
Total foreign investment approvals in the fourth quarter reached P103.33 billion, up 79.1 percent from P57.7 billion in the same period in 2024.

By source country, the Netherlands posted the largest share of approved investments at P33.05 billion, or 32 percent of the total. Japan followed with P17.88 billion (17.3 percent) and Singapore with P17.66 billion (17.1 percent).

Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply attracted the bulk of foreign pledges during the period at P49.41 billion (47.8 percent).

Manufacturing received P34.68 billion (33.6 percent), while information and communications secured P4.76 billion (4.6 percent).

Much of the foreign investments were directed to ventures in Calabarzon, accounting for P46.85 billion, or 45.3 percent of total approvals in the fourth quarter.

Central Luzon followed with P35.36 billion (34.2 percent) and the Negros Island Region with P7.79 billion (7.75 percent).

Top IPAs
In 2025, the Board of Investments (BOI), the country’s leading IPA, saw a 3.7-percent dip in investment approvals to P1.56 trillion, missing its P1.75-trillion target.

Even so, the BOI continued to account for a significant share of 2025 investment approvals, with 81.25 percent.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority ranked second with P260.89 billion, or 13.59 percent of the total. This figure marked the agency’s highest since 2016 and also a 21.91-percent increase from P214.18 billion in 2024.