New independent research reveals the DP World Effect in action in the Philippines, with the Batangas Integrated Port (BIP) supporting 2,340 jobs nationwide, and helping drive economic activity across the Calabarzon region.
Operated by DP World’s local partner Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI), the port is creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond the terminal - from logistics workers and transport providers to small business owners and service industries , demonstrating how trade infrastructure can generate real opportunities for local communities.
The research, conducted by Oxford Economics, found that DP World’s operations at Batangas contributed nearly US$28 million in economic activity in 2024, while strengthening the Philippines’ connectivity to global trade routes.
The impact is visible in communities around Batangas. Local entrepreneur Reche “Che-Che” Feliciano has grown her business inside the passenger terminal, benefiting from increased footfall and improved facilities, following the port’s modernization. Che-Che’s story reflects how improved trade infrastructure can open new doors for small businesses like her Mister Donut franchise, creating local livelihoods.
The study highlights how the port supports both immediate and long-term economic value:
- Jobs and livelihoods: 2,340 jobs supported nationwide, including 1,320 in Calabarzon, across logistics, manufacturing, transport, and local services.
- On-site employment: 839 people directly employed at the terminal.
- Economic contribution: DP World and ATI’s operations at BIP generated US$27.8 million in economic activity in 2024, with US$18.5 million in Calabarzon.
- Productivity: Each DP World employee supports approximately US$23,900 a year in gross value added, significantly higher than the $4,000 per worker average in Calabarzon’s broader transport and storage sector.
- Inclusion: Women represent 28.1% of jobs supported by BIP, while young people aged 24 and below
- represent 11.4%.
Looking ahead, improved maritime connectivity linked to DP World’s operations at Batangas is forecast to increase the Philippines’ goods exports by 0.8%, helping unlock around US$1 billion in additional GDP by 2035, underscoring the long-term impact of trade infrastructure investment.
Why this matters for the Philippines and Calabarzon
Calabarzon is the second-largest contributor to the Philippines’ GDP and a key industrial and manufacturing hub, with BIP emerging as a major gateway for containerised trade, providing a competitive alternative to Metro Manila ports.
Despite strong economic growth, Calabarzon continues to face challenges, including rising poverty rates, which climbed to 4.9% in 2023 from 4.3% in 2021, and limited access to higher-skilled employment for local youth. The region was also impacted by multiple major disasters in 2024, including Typhoon Trami. In this context, BIP’s role in creating high-productivity jobs and strengthening the country’s connectivity is critical to ensuring that economic growth translates into broad and sustained opportunities for local communities.
Glen Hilton, CEO & Managing Director, Asia Pacific, DP World, said: “What we’re seeing in Batangas is the DP World Effect in action. Every investment in infrastructure creates opportunities that extend beyond the port. From jobs and small businesses to stronger global connections, the impact reaches deep into local communities. Together with Asian Terminals Inc., we are committed to ensuring the benefits of trade are shared more widely across the Philippines.”
The findings form part of the DP World Effect, a global research and storytelling programme that explores how trade infrastructure creates economic growth, jobs and community impacts across DP World’s network in more than 80 countries.
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