ABU DHABI — Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary and Board of Investments (BOI) managing head Dr. Ceferino Rodolfo met with Masdar and DAMAC Digital to advance investment plans in the Philippines and align partnerships on AI development in connection with the US-led Pax Silica initiative.
The meetings with UAE’s leading companies in energy and high-tech sectors follow the Philippines’ recent accession to the Pax Silica alliance and the announcement of a partnership with the United States to establish a 4,000-acre AI-native industrial acceleration hub in Luzon, which requires robust energy and digital infrastructure to support high-end AI processing and next-gen manufacturing.
Rodolfo met with Masdar chief investment officer Raphael Barreau to outline renewable energy solutions for the Luzon AI-native hub in the Philippines. Masdar is actively involved in powering Abu Dhabi’s Stargate UAE project with 5-GW renewables and a 19GWh battery energy storage system. Masdar has also ongoing renewable projects in the country under the signed MoU with the BOI, supporting the development of up to 10 GW renewable energy projects in the Philippines by 2035.
The undersecretary also held talks with DAMAC Digital senior vice president Troy Gilson to discuss the progress of a 250-MW data center facility in the Philippines following the meeting between DAMAC’s chairman Hussain Sajwani and President Ferdinand F. Marcos, Jr. in Abu Dhabi in January 2026. DAMAC’s investment reinforces the country as a hub for AI-driven technologies under the Pax Silica alliance. “The Luzon AI-native hub within the Pax Silica alliance integrates UAE’s renewable energy expertise and data center capabilities for the next-gen manufacturing,” said Undersecretary Rodolfo. “Our collaborations with industry leaders such as Masdar and DAMAC underscore our commitment to transform the Philippines into a premier destination for AI-driven technologies and sustainable industrial acceleration.”
Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Alfonso Ver highlighted that mutual inclusion in the Pax Silica alliance is a force multiplier for existing bilateral agreements. “PH’s accession to the Pax Silica alliance, where UAE is also a key party, further solidifies our bilateral trade and investment frameworks, such as the CEPA and the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA). This signifies that the Philippines and the UAE are no longer just traditional trading partners; they are now strategic tech allies," said Ambassador Ver. PR
