Philippines Eyes Investment Boom as IT Ecozone Moratorium Lifted

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) expects five information technology parks to benefit from President Marcos’ recent move to lift the moratorium on IT ecozone applications in Metro Manila. Trade Secretary Cristina Roque told reporters on the sidelines of the ASEAN Tech Summit Manila yesterday that five IT parks have pending applications with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) for ecozone status. These developments are expected to benefit from the recent issuance of Administrative Order (AO) 45, which lifted the moratorium on IT ecozone applications in Metro Manila. The five IT parks are MJ Landtrade Development Corp.’s Altaire, Triumvirate Development Corp.’s One Trium Tower, Ayala Land Inc.’s ARCA South 1, Aseana Holdings Inc.’s Parqal and San Lorenzo Ruiz Investment Holdings and Services Inc.’s The Yuchengco Center. Roque said she expects more IT parks to apply for ecozone status with the lifting of the ban on IT ecozone applications in Metro Manila. “So now it’s lifted, it’s also a big win for the IT-BPM (business process management). Also the real estate because now they can open BPOs (business process outsourcing) in Metro Manila,” she said. The moratorium was imposed under AO 18 issued by the Duterte administration in 2019. It was intended to encourage development in the countryside. For its part, the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) welcomed AO 45, noting that it would strengthen the Philippines’ competitiveness for new investment. “It restores an important location option for IT-BPM companies while giving both global investors and existing locators greater flexibility as they expand their operations in the country,” IBPAP said. It said that Metro Manila continues to play a critical role in terms of the country’s digital talent, business infrastructure and global delivery operations. “In today’s highly competitive investment environment, speed and flexibility matter,” IBPAP president and CEO Jack Madrid said. “AO 45 gives investors greater confidence that the Philippines can respond to evolving business requirements while preserving our long-term commitment to countryside development. It strengthens our ability to attract new investments, support business expansion and create more high-quality jobs for Filipinos,” he said.