Manila: United States Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg will visit the Philippines to advance cooperation on technology and economic security between Manila and Washington, D.C., the US Department of State announced Saturday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Helberg will visit the Philippines and Singapore from May 17 to 21 to meet with government officials, private sector representatives, and other member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to promote efforts toward building a 'secure, resilient, innovation-driven technology ecosystem.'

The visit followed the April 16 signing of the Pax Silica Declaration, a US-led initiative aimed at securing supply chains for semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Under the Pax Silica framework, the US and the Philippines planned to establish a 4,000-acre industrial hub in the Luzon Economic Corridor, which will serve as a platform for allied manufacturing and investment acceleration.

In the Philippines, Helberg is set to advance the Pax Silica initiative's implementation on the ground, including discussions on the planned Economic Security Zone. Helberg is expected to visit the site, which is envisioned as a first-of-its-kind industrial hub aimed at boosting production of key inputs for global supply chains. His visit is also expected to support broader economic development goals, including the vision for the Luzon Economic Corridor.

Helberg will also engage with stakeholders in Singapore, where he will convene representatives of ASEAN member-states and private sector leaders for a US-ASEAN Ministerial Roundtable. The discussion will focus on the role of AI in the region and explore opportunities for collaboration, through the US AI Exports Program.

The visit underscores ongoing efforts by the US and ASEAN partners to strengthen cooperation in emerging technologies, supply chain resilience, and economic security amid a rapidly evolving global landscape.