MANILA — The Philippines’ standing as a premier destination for information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) has received a strategic boost following the official lifting of a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of IT parks in Metro Manila.

The major policy shift was formalized through Administrative Order (AO) No. 45, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on July 23, 2026. Trade and finance officials hailed the decision as a critical breakthrough that restores the capital region’s competitiveness in attracting high-value, technology-enabled investments.

Tereso Panga, Director General of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), emphasized that resolving the long-standing issue opens new avenues for expansion. According to PEZA, the decision positions the Philippines to capture growing outsourcing demand from key markets like Australia and Japan across digital operations, engineering, and knowledge-based services.

Under AO 45, property developers in Metro Manila can now register and market qualified office spaces as PEZA-registered IT Parks and IT Centers. While real estate developers will not receive fiscal incentives for new developments in the capital, the registered IT-BPM enterprises locating within these hubs remain eligible for government tax incentives under current investment laws.

Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go supported the measure, describing it as a strategic driver to attract innovation-led businesses to areas with established talent pools and infrastructure. He added that directing fiscal incentives toward IT-BPM locators—rather than property developers—preserves the country's tax framework while continuing to stimulate quality job creation and export revenue.

With this landmark policy, the government expects property developers to rapidly reposition Manila's premium commercial spaces, strengthening the nation's position in the global IT and shared-services ecosystem.

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