BOI-approved investments down 48% in 11 months

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December 9, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The value of investments approved by the government’s lead investment promotions agency slid dramatically from January to November, amid fallout from the flood control scandal and broader uncertainty that weighed on business confidence.

Data from the Board of Investments (BOI) released yesterday showed that approved investments reached P816.81 billion over the 11-month period, down by 48.4 percent from the P1.58 trillion recorded in the same period last year.

This is in sharp contrast to the 44-percent jump in approvals recorded over the same period in 2024, highlighting the dramatic slowdown in this year’s investment pace.

Despite this, Trade Secretary and BOI chair Cristina Roque expressed optimism about the pipeline of investments, saying the approvals still signal continued investor confidence.

“These figures reflect the strong inflow of high-value investments that strengthen our economy. But we will not slow down. The P816.81 billion in approved investments to date sends a clear signal to local and foreign investors: the Philippines is an ideal, competitive and future-ready business destination,” Roque said.

These approved investments to date this year encompass 261 registered projects across various sectors, including manufacturing, energy, transport, and others.

Roque said her office is still assessing ten high-value projects worth over P1 trillion.

This includes three hydroelectric power projects with a combined capacity of 2.4 gigawatts, four offshore wind projects totaling 3.7 gigawatts, two air transport service projects and one transport infrastructure project.

Investments registered under the BOI are eligible for incentives, including income tax holidays, a preferential tax rate on gross income, a zero value-added tax (VAT) rating, as well as tax and duty-free importation of capital equipment, raw materials, and supplies.

Meanwhile, the BOI said P1.92 trillion worth of investment was certified under the Green Lane Initiative, the government program that aims to fast-track, simplify, and automate approvals and registration for projects deemed a priority and strategic in nature.

These are expected to create 161,325 direct jobs, spanning a wide range of industries, including renewable energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, food security, pharmaceuticals, and digital infrastructure.

The Green Lane initiative was launched in February 2023 under Executive Order No. 18, also issued in that month.

Among the notable investment ventures already in the roster are Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s (MPIC) P3.4 billion agribusiness venture, which features a large-scale vegetable farm in Bulacan and a dairy farm in Laguna.

Also included are the P200 billion solar power initiative by Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGen) and Terra Solar Philippines, Inc., a subsidiary of SP New Energy Corp.