Article

The Philippines is set to join the US-led Pax Silica initiative, which focuses on securing supply chains for artificial intelligence and semiconductors. Launched in December, Pax Silica emphasizes the importance of critical minerals for both defense and high technology.

The Philippines also aims to establish a critical minerals agreement with Canada, following discussions that indicated Canadian openness to this partnership. Earlier in 2026, the Philippines signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the US aimed at diversifying global critical mineral supply chains and promoting sector investments, as it seeks to shift from raw ore supply to high-value processing.