Total approved investments down 2% to P1.92 trillion in 2025

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February 13, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Investment pledges approved by investment promotion agencies (IPAs) declined by two percent in 2025, amid governance issues and global trade uncertainties that affected investor sentiment.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the total approved investments from foreign and Filipino nationals amounted to P1.92 trillion last year, slightly lower than the P1.96 trillion recorded in the previous year.

These investments, which were approved by IPAs, including the Board of Investments, Philippine Economic Zone Authority and Bases Conversion and Development Authority, reflect investor interest in the country that may be realized in the future.

This figure is different from the data being reported by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which tracks foreign direct investments or those already deployed in the country.

The exposure of a flood control controversy last year, which involved huge kickbacks and ghost projects, weighed on investor sentiment.

Protectionist trade policies in the United States, including the imposition of tariffs, also affected investor sentiment last year.

Of the total approved investments, the PSA said the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply industry accounted for the biggest share of 51.6 percent or P991.61 billion last year.

This was followed by real estate activities with P327.45 billion worth of investments (17 percent), transportation and storage with P230.71 billion (12 percent) and manufacturing with P215.38 billion (11.2 percent).

For the fourth quarter of 2025, total approved investments from both foreign and Filipino nationals surged by 194 percent to P1.10 trillion from P370 billion in the same quarter in 2024.

Of the total approved investments in the fourth quarter of 2025, Filipino firms accounted for 90.6 percent or P990 billion.

Meanwhile, total foreign investments approved in the fourth quarter of 2025 jumped by 79 percent to P103.33 billion from P57.70 billion in the same period of 2024.

The Netherlands was the top source of approved foreign investment pledges in the fourth quarter last year, contributing P33.05 billion or 32 percent of the total.

Japan ranked second with P17.88 billion (17.3 percent), followed by Singapore in third place with P17.66 billion (17 percent).