The Philippines has taken a leading role in advancing a regional framework for critical minerals, as it hosted the first workshop on the ASEAN Critical Minerals Strategy for Regional Resilience and Sustainable Growth.
The two-day workshop, held on March 30–31 at the 25hours Hotel The Oddbird, forms part of a priority economic deliverable under the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for 2026.
Through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippines underscored its commitment to strengthening regional mineral supply chains amid rising global demand for resources critical to the energy transition.
The initiative, identified as Priority Economic Deliverable No. 6, seeks to establish a cohesive framework to support regional resilience and sustainable growth, particularly in the development and management of critical minerals.
Delegates from all 11 ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretariat and development partners participated in the workshop. These included the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development and the Asian Development Bank.
Discussions focused on defining what constitutes critical minerals within the ASEAN context and identifying key indicators of mineral criticality. Participants also benchmarked international frameworks and methodologies while aligning with the ASEAN Minerals Development Vision 2045 and the ASEAN Minerals Cooperation Action Plan (AMCAP) IV for 2026–2030.
The outcomes of the workshop will form the basis for developing a methodology to identify a list of high-priority critical minerals for the region. This list will undergo further consultation with relevant line ministries during a second regional workshop.
The agreed definition and mineral list are also expected to inform the ASEAN Critical Minerals Policy Brief, which will outline strategic directions, cooperation priorities and recommendations, including financing mechanisms to support responsible investment in the sector.
Outputs from the initiative will be elevated to the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals and the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Minerals in October 2026. Final adoption is targeted during the ASEAN Summit in November 2026.
The strategy is expected to serve as a blueprint for strengthening regional resilience, promoting sustainable economic growth and deepening economic integration across ASEAN.
