October 31, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Manila and Stockholm have agreed to deepen cooperation on sustainable mining and the development of critical minerals essential to the global clean energy transition, marking a new phase in their bilateral relations to improve mining efficiency and sustainability.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Raphael Lotilla and Swedish Ambassador Anna Ferry met recently at the agency’s central office in Quezon City to discuss ways to align the Philippines’ mineral development goals with Sweden’s expertise in green and responsible mining.
“The meeting specifically explored opportunities for technology transfer and research collaboration between the two nations, aiming to leverage Sweden’s advanced expertise to advance the Philippines’ low-carbon and climate-resilient transition,” said the government agency.
Environment Assistant Secretary and concurrent Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) director Michael Cabalda joined the meeting along with Swedish Trade Commissioner Johan Lennefalk, Senior Trade Promotion Officer Giselle Yap and Jayne Yang from Business Sweden.
The DENR said discussions also touched on strengthening environmental and social standards in mining operations, advancing the development of critical minerals and promoting circular economy practices to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency.
According to the Geological Survey of Sweden, the Nordic country produces nearly nine-tenths of all iron ore mined in the European Union, highlighting its value as a strategic partner for the Philippines in advancing responsible mineral development and clean mining technologies.
Meanwhile in the Philippines, the mining industry’s gross value added (GVA) reached P50.1 billion in the first half of 2025, equivalent to about 0.72 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to the MGB’s latest report.
Mineral exports during the same period totaled roughly $4.96 billion (about P291 billion at $1 = P58.70), accounting for about 8.9 percent of the country’s total exports.