Marcos orders creation of national critical minerals industry under new executive order

Abi Sarabia M., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
August 24, 2026

Photo courtesy: Philippine News Agency

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed an executive order establishing a unified national policy for developing the Philippines’ critical minerals industry, aiming to position the country as a key supplier for clean energy, digital technology and advanced manufacturing supply chains.

Executive Order 122, signed on August 21, creates a single policy framework for critical minerals and reorganizes the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC), the interagency body tasked with overseeing the sector. 

The order designates the secretaries of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Finance (DOF) as co-chairpersons of the council.

In the order, Marcos said the government intends to “promote value-added processing and downstream industries, enhance investments and competitiveness, ensure responsible and sustainable mining practices and harmonize government policies and programs.”

Under the directive, the DENR, through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), has been tasked with implementing a national exploration and mineral reservation program to identify new deposits of critical minerals for industry development.

The director of DENR-MGB Larry Heradez said the Philippines has already identified extensive areas with mineral potential that could allow it to become a significant player in global supply chains.

“The country has identified at least nine million hectares of highly prospective areas with potential to host various mineral resources that could position the Philippines as an important player in the critical minerals value chain,” Heradez said.

He added that the policy is designed to help the country capture more value from its mineral resources domestically rather than exporting raw ore. Heradez pointed to global competition over supply chains for materials such as nickel and copper, which are used in renewable energy systems, electric vehicle batteries and defense applications, saying nations worldwide are working to secure resilient access to these inputs.

The Department of Trade and Industry has been directed to provide incentives for downstream activities such as refining and battery production, along with related side-stream industries. The department will also prioritize giving domestic processing plants access to mineral ores at fair market prices.

Environmental safeguards and streamlined permitting

The executive order calls for strict environmental protection measures alongside social and cultural safeguards intended to strengthen the industry’s ability to manage its environmental impact.

It also introduces a “use it or lose it” policy for critical minerals mining tenements, under which underutilized mineral areas will be immediately cancelled and reallocated into declared mineral reservations.

To support investment in the sector, the DENR and MGB have been ordered to streamline permit processing within six months, while a fully digital “one-stop shop” platform for mining transactions is expected to be rolled out within a year.

Meanwhile, the MICC has been given 90 days to submit a comprehensive industry work plan to President Marcos, which is expected to outline international sourcing standards, environmental safeguards and valuation frameworks for the sector going forward.