Total foreign investments (FI) approved in the third quarter of 2015 by the seven  investment promotion agencies (IPAs), namely: Board of Investments (BOI), Clark Development Corporation (CDC), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) as well as the Authority of the Freeport  The top three prospective investing countries for the third quarter of 2015 include the Netherlands, Japan and South Korea.  The Netherlands pledged  PhP 27.7  billion  or  56.9  percent   share   during  the  quarter  while  Japan   and  South  Korea  committed  PhP 4.1 billion and PhP 3.6 billion, or 8.4 percent and 7.5 percent of the total approved FI, respectively.

Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply received the largest amount for approved foreign investments in the third quarter of 2015, with PhP 27.8 billion or 57.0 percent share. Manufacturing came in second with investment pledges valued at PhP 7.9 billion or 16.2 percent, followed by administrative and support service activities at PhP 3.6 billion or 7.4 percent share.

In terms of location, bulk of the approved foreign investments in the third quarter of 2015 would be intended to finance projects in Region IVA – CALABARZON, amounting to PhP 32.2 billion or 66.3 percent.  The  next highest investments would be in Region III – Central Luzon at PhP 7.6 billion or 15.7 percent, followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) at PhP 4.9 billion or 10.1 percent.

Approved investments of foreign and Filipino nationals reached PhP 168.2 billion in the third quarter of 2015, up by 5.4 percent from last year’s PhP 159.6 billion. Filipino nationals continued to dominate investments approved during the quarter, sharing 71.1 percent or PhP 119.6 billion worth of pledges. Among the industries, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply would receive the highest investments at PhP 83.4 billion or 49.6 percent of the total approved investments.     

Total projects of foreign and Filipino investors approved by the seven IPAs for the third quarter of 2015 are expected to generate 48,776 jobs, lower by 10.7 percent from last year’s projected employment of 54,606 in the same period.  Out of the total anticipated jobs for the period, 78.1 percent would come from projects with foreign interest. Among the industries, manufacturing is expected to have the most number of jobs to be generated at 15,330.

LISA GRACE S. BERSALES, Ph.D.
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General

Contact Persons:  
Vivian R. Ilarina/John Lourenze S. Poquiz/Stephanie Rose R. Moscoso
Tel. No.: (+6 32) 376-2019
E-mail:  v.ilarina@psa.gov.ph; l.poquiz@psa.gov.ph; r.moscoso@psa.gov.ph