The Philippines will showcase investment opportunities across the critical-minerals value chain at Australia’s largest mining conference, seeking to attract capital that can transform its mineral resources into higher-value industries and strengthen its position in global supply chains.
The Board of Investments (BOI), led by Trade Undersecretary and Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo, will present the country’s investment agenda at the International Mining and Resources Conference + Expo (IMARC) 2026 in Sydney from Oct. 27 to 29. The pitch will cover responsible mining, mineral processing, advanced materials, recycling, energy storage and manufacturing, alongside opportunities in clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
The initiative follows Executive Order No. 122, which established a national policy framework for critical-minerals development. The order directs the BOI to develop a strategy for attracting value-adding investments, reflecting the government’s ambition to move beyond resource extraction toward more sophisticated industrial activities.
Realizing that ambition, however, will depend on more than investor interest. Predictable regulation, responsible resource management, infrastructure and commercially viable downstream operations will be important in converting investment pledges into sustainable industrial capacity.
“Australia is an important economic partner of the Philippines, and we see significant opportunities to deepen cooperation in critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and other high-value industries,” Rodolfo said. He added that IMARC offers a platform to engage global industry leaders and advance investments supporting long-term industrial development.
The economic relationship provides a foundation for the push. BOI-registered Australian investments approved from January to September 2026 reached ₱1.57 billion, up 657.3% from ₱207.9 million in the same period last year. While the increase signals stronger investment approvals, it does not necessarily represent capital already deployed.
About 240 Australian companies operate in the Philippines, employing approximately 68,000 Filipinos, according to the Australian Embassy.
The BOI delegation is scheduled to participate in a Philippine country presentation, a mining roundtable and investor meetings, including discussions with Austmine, Australia’s mining equipment, technology and services industry association. The challenge will be to turn these engagements into investments that build domestic processing, manufacturing and recycling capabilities.
