The Philippine nickel industry stands ready to support the government’s policy on the country’s critical mineral resources, particularly citing the declaration of all critical mineral projects as national priority projects, creation of a one-stop-shop, and the strengthened role of the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC).
The Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) issued the statement following the signing of the Executive Order No. 122 on Critical Minerals by President Marcos Jr. as a pivotal step in advancing the Philippines’ critical minerals industry and strengthening the country’s position in an increasingly competitive global market. Established in 2012, PNIA member companies account for approximately 74 percent of national nickel production in the country.
Of particular significance is the declaration of all critical mineral projects as national priority projects. “This is a major shift in perspective. It recognizes that our mineral resources are not simply commodities to extract, but strategic national assets that can support industrialization, infrastructure, energy security, digital transformation, and the clean energy transition,” PNIA stated.
Such a declaration puts government-industry partnership in its proper context that responsible mining is not solely a private-sector undertaking. “It is a national development endeavor in which the government and industry have distinct but complementary responsibilities. Government provides the policy direction, standards, safeguards, and enabling environment; industry brings investment, technology, expertise, and execution. The greater value comes when both work toward the same national objective,” the group said.
Likewise, the miners are encouraged by the directive under the EO for the establishment of a virtual one-stop shop to enable simultaneous rather than sequential processing.
Streamlined and digitalized permitting and more predictable processes have been long standing policy reforms advocated by PNIA.
“For investors, strong policy direction builds confidence, but consistent implementation sustains it. The Executive Order therefore sends an important signal to the global investment community. The task now is to translate that direction into faster, clearer, and more predictable processes on the ground,” PNIA added.
On the strengthened role of the MICC, PNIA cited its mandate to review regulatory gaps, address barriers to investment, and monitor implementation. MICC will also regularly convene to provide an important institutional platform to sustain coordination and reform over the long term.
These directions strongly complement the objectives of PNIA’s Nickel Initiative, which has consistently brought government, industry, and other stakeholders together to identify practical reforms that can strengthen Philippine mining competitiveness.
Overall, PNIA lauded President Marcos Jr. for a decisive and forward-looking policy direction. “At a time when countries around the world are competing to secure critical minerals, investments, technologies, and supply chains, the President has sent a clear signal that the Philippines intends not only to participate in this global opportunity, but to compete for it,” PNIA said.
The global race for critical minerals is already underway and the Philippines has the resources and is attracting global interest. The EO provided an even stronger national policy direction. “Our shared task is to convert this moment into responsible investments, stronger industries, quality jobs, and lasting prosperity for Filipinos,” the group added.
PNIA said it looks forward to continuing to work with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, MICC, other national government agencies, local governments, communities, and partners across the value chain to translate this framework into concrete and measurable progress.
“The progress we are seeing demonstrates what sustained government-industry dialogue can achieve. The challenge now is to build on that progress and move with greater speed and coordination,” the statement concluded.
