The discussions were grounded in the realities of the global energy transition. Inputs from the event highlighted how the surge in demand for transition minerals continues to shape policies and investments in the Philippines, which holds significant copper, nickel, and cobalt reserves. Participants noted that the country is projected to receive a rapid increase in mining applications in the coming years, even as many of the areas targeted for extraction remain among the most climate-vulnerable and economically marginalized in the archipelago. These concerns were linked to long-standing challenges in large-scale mining zones, including high poverty incidence, recurring disaster risks, and heightened threats to environmental and human rights defenders.

Throughout the first day, participants heard accounts from communities in Dinagat Islands, Tawi-Tawi, Agusan del Norte, Antique, and Abra. Their testimonies focused on the social and environmental pressures associated with transition mineral extraction, the impacts of river dredging, and the emergence of proposals for deep-sea mining. These narratives illustrated how extractive activities intersect with climate impacts, food security, and local livelihoods, and how gaps in transparency and monitoring continue to affect affected communities.