The Philippine Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PH-EITI), under the Department of Finance, joined the representatives from eleven EITI-implementing countries at the Asia Regional Workshop on State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) Transparency and Data Use held in Jakarta, Indonesia from October 13-17, 2025.

The three-day workshop, organized by the EITI international Secretariat in partnership with EITI Indonesia and supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), aimed to deepen technical understanding of SOE transparency requirements under the 2023 EITI Standard, strengthen data analysis capacity, and promote the effective use of extractives-related disclosures to improve governance and public accountability.

The Philippine delegation was led by PH-EITI National Coordinator Mary Ann Rodolfo, joined by Director Ricardo Bobis Jr. of Bureau of Local Government Finance and Professor Tess Tabada a civil society representative of the PH-EITI Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG)

Through hands-on sessions and peer learning, the delegation exchanged experiences with other EITI-implementing countries, particularly on improving state participation reporting, using SOE databases, and developing data-driven case studies to address national governance challenges.

The Philippine team’s participation also provided valuable insights for updating PH-EITI’s reporting templates to reflect SOE-related disclosures, particularly on government equity, joint ventures, and commodity trading. Moreover, PH-EITI plans to launch capacity-building initiatives for government agencies, civil society, and industry partners on data visualization and storytelling, inspired by Indonesia’s Extractive Data Portal showcased during the event.

The lessons from the workshop will guide PH-EITI’s efforts to:

1. Incorporate SOE-specific data in future country reports;

2. Strengthen collaboration with government-owned and controlled corporations such as the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC);

3. Develop interactive dashboards for mining and energy data; and

4. Foster regional cooperation for peer learning across EITI-implementing countries.
 

    

By engaging in this regional dialogue, PH-EITI continues to uphold its commitment to transparency, accountability, and evidence-based policymaking in the governance of the Philippines’ natural resources, ensuring that the extractive sector remains a driver of sustainable and inclusive growth.