BOI highlights PH critical minerals opportunities in Jakarta

JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Philippine Board of Investments highlighted the country’s investment opportunities in critical minerals during the International Investment Forum on Critical Minerals held from June 4 to 5, 2026, in Jakarta.

The forum focused on ASEAN’s resource potential and investment opportunities across the critical minerals value chain.

Discussions covered geological endowments, resource distribution, processing, refining, downstream manufacturing, mineral recovery, and recycling.

Engr. Juatco joined a panel discussion that allowed participants to exchange views on investment opportunities, regional value-chain integration, and pathways for industrial upgrading in the critical minerals sector.

“The Philippines sees great opportunities for critical minerals at the national, regional, and global value chains of clean energy technologies, digital infrastructure, electronics, and infrastructure development.”

Engr. Juatco also emphasized the importance of strong industrial policies that support responsible and sustainable industrial development.

He said collaboration among partners in research, finance, technology, capacity building, and investment is vital, including through the memorandum of understanding on critical minerals and the Pax Silica initiative.

The discussions underscored the growing strategic importance of critical minerals in key technologies such as electric vehicles, semiconductors and electronics, energy systems, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing.

Critical minerals are increasingly viewed as essential inputs for clean energy transition, digitalization, and industrial upgrading because they are used in batteries, electronics, renewable energy systems, and high-technology manufacturing.

The forum also emphasized ASEAN’s potential to strengthen its role across the entire critical minerals value chain, from exploration to recovery and recycling.

Participants also discussed ways to advance regional cooperation and investment readiness across the critical minerals value chain.

The two-day forum was organized by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the Asian Development Bank.

The event brought together ASEAN member states, dialogue partners, senior policymakers, financial institutions, business associations, members of the academe, and other stakeholders.

The forum served as a platform to support ASEAN Priority Economic Deliverable No. 6 on the Critical Minerals Strategy for Regional Resilience and Sustainable Growth.

The priority deliverable focuses on promoting investment mobilization, regional value chain integration, and responsible development of ASEAN’s critical minerals sector.

The BOI said its participation supports efforts to advance the development and promotion of critical minerals under the “Make it Happen in the Philippines” initiative.

The initiative reinforces the Philippines’ positioning as a hub for smart and sustainable manufacturing and services.