Compared to the total investments approved in the first quarter of 2008, the approvals made in the first quarter of 2009 were lower by 51.5 percent from PhP 40.1 billion to PhP 19.4 billion. Of the 51.5 percent decrease, 41.9 percentage points were brought about by the FDI while 9.6 percentage points were contributed by the Filipino investments.

The Filipino nationals committed investments for the quarter amounting to PhP 15.5 billion and contributing 79.6 percent share to total investments, suffered setback as it dropped by 20.0 percent from PhP 19.3 billion of the same period last year.

Total Approved Investments by Foreign and Filipino Nationals:
First Quarter, 2008 and 2009

PEZA surpassed all other IPAs in attracting more investors as it contributed 70.4 percent of the total investments approved for the quarter. PEZA approved PhP 13.7 billion worth of investments, a deceleration by 50.7 percent from PhP 27.7 billion committed in the first quarter of 2008. BOI approved investment pledges with 22.2 percent share valued at PhP4.3 billion, 61.0 percent lower than the approvals made in the same period last year.

Finance and real estate received the highest investment pledges from both Filipino and foreign investors, amounting to PhP 12.2 billion followed by private services and manufacturing, receiving PhP 2.9 billion and PhP 2.3 billion, respectively.

The combined foreign and Filipino projects approved by the above-cited IPAs are seen to generate 26,106 jobs, 36.9 percent lower than 41,390 jobs projected in the first quarter of 2008. All four IPAs registered decreases in the number of jobs expected from their respective project approvals with SBMA posting the largest drop at 76.4 percent, followed by PEZA, dropping by 37.5 percent.

A total of 16,380 jobs, representing 62.7 percent of the total projected employment would come from PEZA and 32.3 percent or 8,434 jobs from BOI. The combined SBMA- and CDC-approved projects are expected to generate a total of 1, 292 jobs.