THE Board of Investments (BOI) highlighted Mindanao’s growing role in the country’s artificial intelligence-driven industrialization agenda during the final leg of the 2026 Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) Roadshow on Aug. 24.
The roadshow formed part of the Philippine Economic Briefing in Davao City.
The BOI said Mindanao’s strengths in manufacturing, agribusiness, renewable energy, logistics, critical minerals, digital services, and halal industries give the region a strong platform to support future industries.
It identified the region as a strategic hub for food security, integrated circuit design, and mineral processing — key areas in the value chains supporting advanced manufacturing and technology-driven industries under the 2026 SIPP.
The BOI said investments and partnerships already taking shape across Mindanao are helping build the foundation for this transformation.
These include BOI-registered digital connectivity projects by Converge ICT Solutions Inc., InfiniVAN and Philippine Fiber Optic Cable Network Ltd. Inc. (PFOCN), which are expanding the digital infrastructure needed for innovation and data-driven businesses.
“The industries that will drive the next phase of growth require more than investment and infrastructure. They also require a workforce equipped with the right skills,” BOI Industry Development Services Executive Director Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa said during her presentation.
She said stronger links between academe and industry would help educational institutions respond to changing industry needs and prepare Filipino workers for emerging opportunities.
The BOI’s Academe-Industry Matching initiative is working toward that goal through partnerships with institutions including Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao.
The initiative aims to align academic training with industry requirements and develop the skilled workforce needed by emerging sectors.
BOI Governor Marjorie Ramos O. Samaniego said recent discussions on Pax Silica have reinforced the need for Mindanao to move beyond resource extraction and accelerate downstream industrial activities.
Mindanao’s deposits of nickel, copper and gold put the region in a strong position to expand into mineral processing, manufacturing and other activities that can generate more economic value locally, she said.
Panel discussions during the briefing brought together representatives from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Department of Finance, the Department of Budget and Management, and the Department of Economy, Planning and Development to discuss the policies, infrastructure, financing mechanisms, and investment priorities needed to position Mindanao as a platform for future industries.
Representatives from the BOI, Mindanao Development Authority, and Bangsamoro Board of Investments also discussed ways to translate national investment priorities into regional opportunities.
Samaniego, Halili-Dichosa, and BOI Investment Policy and Planning Service Director Sandra Marie S. Recolizado represented the BOI in the discussion.
They highlighted how the 2026 SIPP promotes economic diversification and resilience while remaining accessible to investors of all sizes, including micro, small, and medium enterprises.
They also stressed the need for value addition, investment-ready locations and efficient project implementation to turn approved investments into operating businesses and quality jobs.
In her closing remarks, Samaniego said Mindanao’s next chapter should focus not only on what the region produces but also on what it can build.
“The real opportunity is to move further along the value chain, turning resources into products and products into industries that create more economic activity here at home,” she said.
Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go also called for sustained collaboration between government and the private sector to turn investment priorities into actual projects.
“The opportunities before Mindanao are immense and require our concerted efforts,” Go said. “By working together, we can create the conditions for investments to flourish and ensure that the benefits of development reach more communities across the region.”
As steward of the SIPP, the BOI continues to promote investments that create jobs, support enterprise growth and strengthen local industries.
The Mindanao leg marked the conclusion of the 2026 SIPP Roadshow, completing the BOI’s nationwide rollout of the country’s updated investment roadmap. PR
