The actualized investments from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s presidential and state trips in 2023 amounted to $5.28 billion, or ₱294 billion, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

DTI-Board of Investments (BOI) Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said Marcos’ foreign trips actualized $4.089 billion or ₱227.72 billion in investments for eight projects, $790.58 million or ₱44.02 billion for 11 projects, and $398.17 million or ₱22.17 billion for nine projects as of Dec. 21.

Rodolfo said that investment promotion agencies like the BOI and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority have already reported the investment pledges made by the President during his official foreign trips that were turned into projects.

“Some of these projects have short gestation periods and are already fully operational and are already employing full-time Filipinos, producing goods or delivering services; and some are already setting up or expanding their facilities, but are nevertheless already employing Filipinos as they have already set up or expanded their offices and physical presence in the Philippines,” Rodolfo said.

He said that 2023 is a year of "structural changes," which are necessary for the nation to recover from all economic issues left by the COVID-19 pandemic.