MANILA, Philippines - Investments registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) went up by 31 percent to P127.455 billion in the first seven months of the year from P97.48 billion a year ago.
“For July 2014, PEZA approved 12 new export enterprises,” the agency said.
The investments for the month came from local firms as well as companies from Sweden, Netherlands, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
The agency also approved 12 new information technology companies.
The new IT firms are from the Philippines, Netherlands, Australia, the US, United Kingdom and Singapore.
PEZA director general Lilia De Lima said the country is becoming an attractive location for investors.
De Lima said the government is aiming to make economic growth more inclusive by creating more jobs in the manufacturing and agro-industrial sectors.
Total investments approved by the PEZA reached P276.126 billion in 2013, down 11.48 percent from P311.949 billion in 2012.