BOI Brings “CREATE MORE” Roadshow to Cebu: Unlocking Strategic Incentives and Boundless Investment Opportunities

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Board of Investments (BOI), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), pursued the second leg of the “CREATE MORE: Making Investments Happen in the Philippines” domestic roadshow, held on June 4, 2025, at the Radisson Blu Hotel. The event convened over 150 participants, including business leaders, local government officials, investors, and representatives from foreign and local chambers, reaffirming Cebu’s position as a key economic driver in the Visayas.

The roadshow forms part of BOI’s broader effort to promote awareness and uptake of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act and its newly enacted counterpart, Republic Act No. 12066 or the CREATE MORE Law. The law builds on the foundation of CREATE by institutionalizing a more transparent, performance-based, and time-bound system for granting fiscal incentives. It also strengthens the mandate of the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) and Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) to streamline processes, cut bureaucratic red tape, and provide more responsive support to enterprises engaged in strategic and innovation-led activities.

Making it Happen in Cebu. Participants gathered for the CREATE MORE Roadshow to learn about the enhanced incentives and investment opportunities under the updated CREATE Law.

In her opening remarks, Maria Rosario J. Dominguez, Director of the BOI’s Domestic Investments Promotion Service, emphasized the importance of extending the benefits of investment facilitation to the regions. “This exclusive, high-level gathering is part of our ongoing efforts designed to spotlight investment opportunities across the country and bring the opportunities offered by CREATE MORE closer to our regional partners,” she said.

In photo: BOI Director Maria Rosario J. Dominguez delivers opening remarks during the Cebu leg of the CREATE MORE roadshow.

Jennifer C. Bretaña, Regional Director of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, delivered the keynote address and highlighted Central Visayas’ favorable outlook for economic growth in 2025. She cited the importance of stable inflation, sustained investment inflows, and sound management of external risks. She also underscored the role of political stability, infrastructure development, and workforce upskilling as key enablers of continued regional expansion.

A key presentation during the event was delivered by Mariane Genelou S. Reyes, Chief Investments Specialist at the BOI’s Research and Policy Division, who provided an overview of the Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) and its role in guiding incentive approvals.

Ms. Reyes reported that from the time the 2022 SIPP took effect in June 2022 until its end in December 2024, the BOI had approved a total of Php3.38 trillion worth of investments. She noted that the top-performing sectors included renewable energy, which accounted for Php2.58 trillion; digital infrastructure at Php295.14 billion; and logistics and supply chain-related investments totaling Php168.24 billion. These figures demonstrate the country’s strong positioning to attract high-value, sustainable, and forward-looking investments.

Atty. Bobby G. Fondevilla, Executive Director of the BOI Investments Assistance Center, presented the key features of the CREATE MORE Law. He discussed the law’s expanded menu of incentives, including longer periods of income tax holidays and enhanced deductions for qualified enterprises. He clarified issues that previously caused uncertainty among investors, particularly around the VAT-zero rating of certain transactions.

In photo: Atty. Bobby G. Fondevilla discusses the key provisions of the CREATE MORE Law during the technical briefing.

He also highlighted that the new law institutionalizes flexible work arrangements for registered business enterprises located in special economic zones, providing greater adaptability in terms of working conditions. Executive Director Fondevilla emphasized that the reforms embedded in CREATE MORE were crafted in direct response to feedback from the private sector and are intended to support a competitive and innovation-friendly business environment.

An open forum followed the presentations, where attendees asked about registration procedures, sector eligibility, and implementation timelines. BOI officials responded to queries and encouraged local businesses to coordinate closely with the BOI Cebu Extension Office for guidance on how to navigate the incentives system and register their projects.

In photo: Attendees participate in an open forum, engaging directly with BOI officials for investment guidance.

In her closing remarks, Melanie C. Ng, Area Vice President for Visayas of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), welcomed the BOI’s efforts to engage regional stakeholders and called on the business community to make full use of the opportunities now available under the CREATE MORE framework.

The Cebu leg of the roadshow was held in partnership with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), and the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham). It forms part of a broader initiative by the BOI to bring investment facilitation directly to stakeholders across the country. The final leg of the CREATE MORE roadshow will take place in Davao City, as BOI continues its mission to promote strategic investments and unlock regional growth potential. —END—