Why the Philippines is losing out in Southeast Asia’s investment boom

The Philippines still lags behind its neighbours in attracting foreign direct investment, with inflows stagnating in 2025 even as a financing influx swept the region.
This shortfall has cast a spotlight on a corruption scandal that has roiled the country and dented investor confidence, analysts say, compounding long-standing systemic issues.
Manila ranked sixth in Southeast Asia for FDI last year, capturing just US$9 billion of the region’s US$244 billion investment haul, according to the UN...