Philippine Embassy in DC Welcomes Foundry School to Strengthen Cooperation Under Pax Silica

As artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing reshape the global economy, the Philippines is looking toward stronger partnerships with the United States, universities and industry leaders to help prepare Filipino workers for the technologies and industries of the future.

The launch of the Foundry School in Washington, D.C. marks a new opportunity for the Philippines to strengthen its participation in an emerging network connecting economic security, advanced manufacturing, education and workforce development. As a member of Pax Silica, the Philippines stands to benefit from an initiative designed to bring governments, universities and industry leaders together around the capabilities needed to support the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence economy.

The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. joined U.S. government officials, university representatives and business leaders for the official launch of the Foundry School on September 3, 2026, at the Donald J. Trump Institute for Peace. The event was graced by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, highlighting the importance being placed on developing the industrial capacity, supply chains and skilled workforce required for the next generation of advanced technologies.

For the Philippines, the launch carries particular significance because the Foundry School provides another avenue through which its partnership with the United States and other Pax Silica participants can translate into practical opportunities for workforce development. As new technologies transform manufacturing and other industries, preparing people with the knowledge and skills to participate in that transformation is becoming an increasingly important part of economic cooperation.

Building the Workforce Behind the AI Economy

The Foundry School is a flagship initiative of Pax Silica, an economic security partnership of the Trump Administration that connects governments, industry and academia to strengthen critical supply chains and develop the industrial and workforce capabilities underpinning the AI economy. Through that framework, the initiative recognizes that technological advancement depends not only on innovation itself, but also on the people, institutions and manufacturing capabilities needed to turn innovation into productive industries.

At the center of the Foundry School is a first-of-its-kind advanced manufacturing curriculum developed by Stanford University. The program will also feature keystone lectures provided by seven universities with existing partnerships with Stanford: Arizona State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, The Ohio State University, The Pennsylvania State University, the University of Kansas, Vanderbilt University and Washington University in St. Louis.

By connecting universities across the United States, the program creates an academic network focused on the practical demands of advanced manufacturing. At the same time, its connection with Pax Silica expands that network internationally, creating opportunities for participating economies such as the Philippines to engage with the educational and industrial expertise being assembled through the initiative.

Bringing Industry Experience Into Education

A defining element of the Foundry School is its effort to connect academic learning directly with the experience of those building and operating advanced manufacturing companies. Across the eight participating university campuses, the program will conduct 17 sessions taught by founders and CEOs from advanced manufacturing enterprises, giving participants an opportunity to learn from industry leaders with firsthand experience in developing and managing manufacturing businesses.

These leaders will be drawn from both the United States and Pax Silica participants and will cover matters related to building and operating a world-class manufacturing enterprise. Their participation is intended to create a bridge between what students and participants learn through academic institutions and the practical knowledge required to succeed in increasingly sophisticated industrial environments.

The model also reflects the broader partnership behind Pax Silica, in which governments, educational institutions and private industry each contribute to developing stronger economic and technological capabilities. Universities can provide the educational foundation, industry leaders can share practical knowledge and experience, and governments can help create opportunities for cooperation across participating economies.

Creating Opportunities for Pax Silica Partners

The international dimension of the Foundry School could be especially important for the Philippines. The U.S. Department of State, working with Congress, has said that it plans to support the participation of Pax Silica economies in the program and is working with Stanford University to develop the curriculum for both U.S. and foreign participants.

Through that collaboration, the Foundry School is expected to work with Pax Silica economies to create opportunities connecting the United States and its partners in industry. For participating countries, this could provide another platform for building relationships among universities, manufacturers, technology companies and government institutions while developing the skills needed for advanced industries.

For the Philippines, participation comes at a time when workforce readiness is becoming increasingly connected to economic competitiveness. Artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing are creating new requirements for technical knowledge, industrial expertise and collaboration, making investments in people an important part of preparing economies for future growth.

A Philippine Stake in the Industries of the Future

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez welcomed the initiative as an opportunity for the country to deepen cooperation with the United States and other Pax Silica participants while preparing Filipino workers for industries shaped by emerging technologies.

“As a member of Pax Silica, the Philippines welcomes the Foundry School as a valuable opportunity to collaborate with the United States, other Pax Silica members, academe, and manufacturing and technology leaders to help train and prepare our workforce for the industries of the future, including AI-native and advanced manufacturing,” Ambassador Romualdez said.

The Ambassador’s statement places workforce development at the center of the Philippines’ participation in the initiative. By engaging universities alongside manufacturing and technology leaders, the country can take part in a broader exchange of expertise that connects education with the evolving needs of industries increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence and advanced production technologies.

That collaboration also gives the Philippines an opportunity to strengthen relationships beyond traditional government-to-government engagement. Partnerships among universities, businesses and technology leaders can complement diplomatic and economic ties by creating connections among the institutions and individuals who will help shape future industries.

Connecting Education With Economic Partnership

The Foundry School illustrates how economic partnerships are increasingly extending into education and workforce development. While investment, trade and industrial cooperation remain important elements of international economic relationships, countries are also placing greater emphasis on developing the human capabilities necessary to participate effectively in emerging industries.

For the Philippines and the United States, the initiative creates another area in which their economic partnership can be translated into practical cooperation. Training opportunities and connections with universities and industry leaders can help complement broader efforts to strengthen industrial capacity while giving workers and future entrepreneurs greater exposure to the knowledge required in advanced manufacturing environments.

The involvement of eight major U.S. universities also gives the Foundry School a strong academic foundation while its participation by founders and CEOs ensures that industry experience remains central to the program. Bringing those perspectives together creates a model in which education is closely connected with the realities of building competitive manufacturing enterprises.

Preparing Filipinos for a Changing Global Economy

As artificial intelligence continues to influence industries around the world, the economic opportunities surrounding the technology will depend on much more than software development alone. Manufacturing capabilities, reliable supply chains, skilled workers and institutions capable of supporting technological innovation will all play a role in determining which economies are prepared to participate in the industries that emerge around AI.

The Foundry School provides one platform for developing those capabilities through cooperation among countries, universities and businesses. For the Philippines, its participation in Pax Silica provides an opportunity to engage that network while exploring ways to equip Filipino workers with knowledge and expertise relevant to AI-native and advanced manufacturing industries.

The initiative also reinforces the importance of human capital within broader economic partnerships. Building stronger industries requires technology and investment, but sustaining those industries requires people who understand how to build, operate and improve them. Through programs that connect education directly with industry, participating economies can help ensure that workforce development advances alongside technological progress.

As the Foundry School begins bringing together academic institutions, industry leaders and Pax Silica partners, the Philippines has an opportunity to strengthen its place within a growing network focused on the future of manufacturing and the AI economy. For the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., welcoming the initiative reflects a broader commitment to ensuring that stronger economic partnerships also create opportunities for Filipinos to develop the skills needed to participate in the industries of tomorrow.