The Philippines showcased its strategic advantage as a regional hub for innovation and sustainability-driven industries, particularly in green metals and mineral processing at a roundtable discussion during the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) 2024 conference.
PDAC, the world’s leading mineral exploration and mining event, offered the perfect platform for the government to underscore its commitment to the global shift towards clean energy technologies.
“Our intention right now is to have our minerals processed locally to supply local industry needs or export higher value materials. Let me stress that we remain committed to support the global energy transition but with the clearer goal of getting more economic value from our minerals. Please join us and together, let’s make it happen in the Philippines,” said Board of Investments executive director for industry development services Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa.
The Philippines, with its strategic location and rich natural resources, aims to become the preferred destination for key sectors like electric vehicles (EVs), smart manufacturing, semiconductors, green metals, high-tech agriculture, renewable energy (RE) and data centers/telecoms.
The Philippine delegation presented to ten companies, underlining the crucial role of minerals in the global energy transition and emphasizing the country’s abundant mineral resources.
With roughly nine million hectares of mineral potential, the Philippines highlighted its significant deposits of copper, nickel, iron, chromite, cobalt, gold and rare earth elements.
The government provide policies that offer business-friendly environment for industry players, with market-driven strategies, international partnerships, and streamlined processes. This includes lifting key bans, fiscal incentives, and simplified procedures. The Philippines remains a reliable metals and minerals supplier.
Presentations by the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (CoMP) and the Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) highlighted investment opportunities in three major copper-gold projects like the King-king Copper-Gold Project, Tampakan Copper-Gold Mine and Silangan Copper-gold Project in Mindanao.
The chamber also emphasized the importance of Philippine nickel in clean energy technology supply chains.
Consul General to Canada Angelica Escalona expressed optimism on the opportunity to strengthen economic cooperation between the Philippines and Canada.
“It is an opportune time to see how we can further strengthen our partnership. Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy is a promising platform to deepen economic cooperation between the Philippines and Canada,” she said.