March 24, 2023
With the lifting of activity and capacity restrictions as well as masking and stay-at-home mandates in the Philippines in 2022, the country experienced a flurry of economic activity that drove growth to 7.6%, breaching official forecasts. The economy is expected to follow a steady growth trajectory in 2023 with projected gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6% to 7%, significantly higher than the global GDP growth forecast. Considering several landscape-changing legislative and regulatory reforms passed in 2022 that are designed to attract muchneeded capital and technology from foreign investors, certain sectors and industries are well-placed to benefit from foreign direct investments (FDIs) into the Philippines in 2023 and beyond. Renewable Energy A convergence of significant tailwinds serve to boost the renewable energy sector as one of the most compelling opportunities for FDIs in the Philippine at present: the government’s push for energy security and commitments towards sustainability and a green economy, the abundance of resources naturally available in the tropical archipelagic state of more than 7,000 islands, the generous fiscal and non-fiscal incentives that can be availed of under the Renewable Energy Act, and the recent easing of nationality restrictions that previously suppressed growth in this sector. Through the Department of Energy (DOE) Department Circular (DC) No. 2022-11-0034 which took effect on 8 December 2022, the restriction for a Renewable Energy Service/ Operating Contract (RE Contract) to be awarded only to Filipinos or corporations at least 60% owned by Filipinos has effectively been removed. This amendment is a welcome development directed to help achieve the country’s ambitious target of a 35% renewable energy share in the power generation mix by...