MANILA — Ceferino Rodolfo, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) undersecretary and Board of Investments (BOI) managing head, met with Eden Bar Tal to advance Philippines–Israel cooperation on critical minerals processing and the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem.
The talks align with the Philippines’ participation in the US-led Pax Silica initiative and related critical minerals frameworks.
The meeting followed Manila’s recent accession to the alliance and its partnership with the United States to develop a 4,000-acre AI-native industrial acceleration hub in Luzon.
Critical minerals are vital to the semiconductor supply chain, supplying inputs for microchips, advanced processors, and other hardware that power AI systems. Bar Tal chairs Israel’s interagency steering committee on national critical minerals strategy.
Both sides discussed how Israeli capabilities in mining, water, and environmental technologies could strengthen the Philippines’ mineral processing and refining—particularly for nickel, copper, and cobalt—helping the country move up the value chain.
Officials also explored a possible bilateral memorandum of understanding covering mineral processing, research and development, and closer links between the Philippines’ semiconductor sector and AI development. They cited strong complementarity between the Philippine mineral resources and workforce and Israel’s technology and innovation.
Rodolfo is in the region for an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development forum on critical minerals and meetings with Pax Silica partners. In Israel, he is also set to meet officials from the trade ministry, the Israel National AI Directorate, the Israel Innovation Authority, and private-sector stakeholders. PR
