Jasco Holdings Holds Strategic Meeting with Philippine Delegation: "Strengthening Cooperation in the Nickel Value Chain"

by Jang Hyowon

Published 11 Dec.2025 09:40(KST)

Korea-Philippines Business Forum and Networking Session hosted by the Mindanao Development Authority. Jasco Holdings

Jasco Holdings announced on the 11th that a strategic meeting was held at its headquarters with a Philippine delegation visiting Korea to strengthen cooperation in the nickel value chain.

Jasco Holdings plans to enhance collaboration with the Mindanao Development Authority and the Province of Dinagat Islands, and to gradually materialize the establishment of a nickel value chain and long-term industrial and investment cooperation projects. The Philippine delegation was led by Leo Tereso A. Magno, Chairperson and Secretary of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), and included members of parliament, governors, and high-ranking officials from both central and local governments.

At the Ansan headquarters in Gyeonggi Province, Jasco Holdings and the Philippine delegation discussed ongoing nickel mining and smelting projects in the Mindanao region, including the Province of Dinagat Islands, as well as cooperation in infrastructure, industrial complexes, and ESG initiatives. As Jasco Holdings is expanding its portfolio beyond its existing steel business to include raw materials, smelting, and battery materials, the company considers Mindanao a core strategic region. During this visit, both sides also coordinated follow-up measures to institutionalize cooperation with the Province of Dinagat Islands and MinDA.

In addition, the Philippine delegation visited the Gyeonggi Provincial Government and Gyeonggi Provincial Council in Suwon to broadly discuss possible avenues for expanding investment and cooperation between Gyeonggi Province and Mindanao. Both sides agreed on the need to develop practical cooperation models in various fields, including agriculture and food security, green growth, industrial innovation and technology transfer, and strengthening trade and investment networks, by linking Mindanao’s abundant agricultural and resource base with Gyeonggi Province’s technological and industrial capabilities.

To further expand bilateral cooperation, the Mindanao Development Authority hosted the "Philippines-Korea Business Forum and Networking Session." On the Korean side, officials from the Gyeonggi Provincial Council, executives from major domestic companies, representatives from KOICA, and related organizations attended the event.

The event began with a welcoming address by H.E. Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez, Ambassador of the Philippines to Korea, followed by a keynote speech from Secretary Magno of MinDA, a presentation on Mindanao’s investment environment and opportunities by Romeo M. Montenegro, Assistant Secretary of MinDA, and a presentation titled "Mindanao from the Perspective of Korean Investors" by Wee Yongho, Special Advisor to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA). Investment opportunities in various sectors such as mining, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure in Mindanao, as well as strategies for Korean companies to enter the region, were discussed in depth.

In particular, during his speech, Secretary Magno of MinDA introduced Jasco Holdings as the first Korean company to invest in Dinagat Province, having secured exclusive distribution rights for a local nickel mine, currently engaged in mining operations, and preparing for its first export in the near future. He evaluated this investment as an important precedent for cooperation between Mindanao and Korea. He stated, "This precedent demonstrates that Korean investors are willing to participate in Mindanao’s resource development and growth story," and added, "I hope that more Korean companies present here today will take interest in Mindanao’s potential, inspired by this example." Accordingly, Jasco Holdings is expected to serve as a bridgehead for future Korean companies entering Mindanao, as the "first successful Korean investment case" in Dinagat Province.

A Jasco Holdings representative said, "Chairperson Magno’s mention of Jasco Holdings as a symbolic success case for Mindanao cooperation signifies external recognition of our nickel business strategy and long-term vision for Mindanao. With the Philippine delegation’s visit and the forum greatly expanding the points of contact between Gyeonggi Province, Mindanao, and companies from both countries, we plan to launch comprehensive Korea-Philippines cooperation through MinDA and to create a platform that will enable more Korean companies to participate, starting with the Dinagat nickel project."