Approved foreign investments in the Philippines jumped 68.2 percent year-on-year to P115.20 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up from P68.48 billion in Q2 2025, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
However, projected employment from these commitments fell 21.9 percent. The PSA noted that approved projects during the quarter “are expected to generate 32,167 jobs,” down from the 41,203 jobs projected in the same period last year.
Projects with foreign interest account for 27,266 of those roles, representing “84.8 percent of the total projected employment.”
The Netherlands led foreign investment pledges with P50.74 billion, accounting for “44 percent of the total,” followed by Germany with P18.05 billion and Singapore with P9.95 billion. By industry, manufacturing secured the largest share of foreign interest, attracting “P78.81 billion, or 68.4 percent of the total,” followed by real estate activities at P11.09 billion and energy utilities at P8.81 billion.
Regionally, the Cordillera Administrative Region recorded the highest amount of approved foreign investments at “P55.74 billion, representing 48.4 percent of the total,” followed by Central Luzon with P36.81 billion and CALABARZON with P14.75 billion.
Combined approved investments from both foreign and Filipino nationals climbed 73.1 percent to P541.51 billion. Local commitments made up the majority of that total, as “Filipino nationals accounted for the bulk of the approved investments at P426.31 billion, or 78.7 percent of the total.” Across all combined pledges, the electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply sector received the largest overall share at “P321.06 billion, or 59.3 percent of the total.”