A new push from the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines signals Manila’s growing urgency to turn mineral wealth into geopolitical leverage.
At the Philippines–Korea Business Forum on March 4, chamber chairman Michael Toledo proposed a formal critical minerals partnership between the Philippines and South Korea—one modeled on the critical minerals framework Manila signed with the US.
The goal is to secure supply chains while moving the Philippines up the value ladder.
Toledo argued that a bilateral framework could institutionalize cooperation across supply chain security, downstream mineral processing, technology transfer, financing and standards alignment. In effect, it would mirror the structure of the US arrangement, but tailored to Korea’s industrial strengths—particularly in electric vehicles and advanced battery manufacturing.
The proposal reflects the Philippines’ broader shift away from its traditional role as a raw materials exporter. The Philippines is one of the world’s leading producers of nickel, a critical input in EV batteries. Yet much of that output still leaves the country as unprocessed ore, limiting domestic value capture.
The chamber’s vision is more ambitious: a low-carbon mineral processing and battery materials ecosystem integrated into Korean manufacturing supply chains. If realized, such a strategy could anchor investment in refining, precursor materials and battery components—segments where Korea already holds global leadership.
Policy momentum may also be improving the investment case. Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the government has introduced reforms including a new metallic mining fiscal regime and faster permitting processes aimed at restoring investor confidence in the sector.
Still, the pitch hinges on responsible mining. Toledo emphasized industry commitments to internationally aligned environmental, transparency and community standards—an increasingly non-negotiable requirement for battery supply chains.
A Philippines–Korea minerals framework would ultimately send a strategic signal: that resource-rich economies and manufacturing powerhouses can jointly build resilient, transparent supply chains for the energy transition.
