Europe-PH News

MAKATI CITY— The Board of Investments (BOI), in collaboration with the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) and DivinaLaw, unveiled this year’s Doing Business in the Philippines Guidebook on January 22, 2026.

The guidebook is a comprehensive source for potential investors, detailing the country’s laws, policies, regulations, and procedures to boost investor confidence and support informed decision-making. The launch event, held at the DivinaLaw office in Makati, brought together key government officials and heads of European diplomatic missions.

In his speech, Executive Director Fondevilla discussed investment promotion opportunities in the Philippines, emphasizing the importance of the guidebook to generate investments. 

"This guidebook is more than just a manual; it is an essential instrument for growth. It offers insights into our evolving business environment and tracks the rapid advancements in our priority sectors:  manufacturing, mineral processing, security and defense, and renewable energy. These industries align perfectly with the BOI’s own sector-specific value propositions, curated to attract sustainable, high-value investments," said Executive Director Fondevilla. 

Entering the second year of the strategic partnership for this flagship initiative, the BOI remains committed to working alongside the ECCP and DivinaLaw. The inaugural edition in 2025 was highly successful, having been oversubscribed. This underscored the strong demand from prospective and existing investors. The 2026 edition introduces significant updates on key sectors poised for growth this year, including real estate, mining, renewable energy, fintech, and telecommunications. 

The guidebook aligns with the priorities of Trade Secretary and BOI Chairman Cristina Roque, particularly on ease of doing business through streamlined processes for investors. It is designed to address investor inquiries and facilitate a more efficient process for establishing operations in the Philippines.

In the latter part of the program, a ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was held to reaffirm the ongoing partnership among the BOI, ECCP, and DivinaLaw. The MOA was signed by Executive Director Fondevilla for BOI; Atty. Nilo Divina, Managing Partner of DivinaLaw, and Mr. Paulo Duarte, President of the ECCP.

ECCP President Duarte presented an overview of the 2026 publication and shared the foreign business perspective on the ease of doing business in the Philippines. 

“Despite global uncertainties, the Philippine economy remains resilient. Driven by a young, growing population and strong English proficiency, the Philippines continues to be among the fastest-growing economies in Asean,” said ECCP President Duarte. 

Europe has emerged as a primary source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In 2025, European investments accounted for over Php42 billion in registered projects with the BOI, concentrated in Energy, Transportation, and Manufacturing. 

Based on the ECCP’s 2025 Business Sentiment Survey, 70 percent of the European-Philippine business community plan to increase trade and investment in the next year. The ECCP recognized that the Philippine government is actively modernizing policies to attract foreign investors through various measures, such as the Green Lane Initiative, which streamlines the permitting and licensing of strategic projects in the Philippines.