The Philippines is ramping up partnerships with UAE firms in renewable energy and digital infrastructure as it positions itself to become a regional hub for artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing under the Pax Silica initiative.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary and Board of Investments (BOI) Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo met with executives from UAE-based renewable energy company Masdar and data infrastructure firm DAMAC Digital to advance investment plans aligned with the country’s AI development agenda.
The meetings followed the Philippines’ accession to the US-led 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. The planned hub is expected to require large-scale energy capacity and advanced digital infrastructure to support AI processing and next-generation manufacturing.
In talks with Masdar Chief Investment Officer Raphael Barreau, Rodolfo discussed renewable energy solutions that could support the Luzon AI-native hub. Masdar is currently involved in powering Abu Dhabi’s Stargate UAE project through a 5-gigawatt renewable energy platform backed by a 19-gigawatt-hour battery energy storage system.
Masdar also maintains renewable energy commitments in the Philippines under a memorandum of understanding signed with the BOI, supporting the development of up to 10 gigawatts of renewable energy projects in the country by 2035.
Rodolfo also met with DAMAC Digital Senior Vice President Troy Gilson to discuss the progress of the company’s planned 250-megawatt data center facility in the Philippines. The project followed earlier discussions between DAMAC Chairman Hussain Sajwani and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Abu Dhabi in January 2026.
“The Luzon AI-native hub within the Pax Silica alliance integrates UAE renewable energy expertise and data center capabilities for next-generation manufacturing,” Rodolfo said. “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 said the Philippines’ participation in the Pax Silica alliance complements existing bilateral trade and investment agreements between Manila and Abu Dhabi.
“Philippines’ accession to the Pax Silica alliance, where the UAE is also a key party, further strengthens our bilateral trade and investment frameworks, including the CEPA and the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement,” Ver said. “This signifies that the Philippines and the UAE are no longer just traditional trading partners — they are now strategic technology allies.”
Rodolfo was in the region to participate in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Critical Minerals Forum and engage with countries involved in the Pax Silica alliance.
While in the UAE, he also met with representatives from Tristar Group, iSON Xperiences, AIM Congress, and The Hub Trading LLC to promote the Philippines-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) as a platform for expanding high-tech trade and investment cooperation.