This photo taken on September 2, 2026, shows a resident sitting inside a hut in Capas, Tarlac province. In April, the United States announced that the Philippines had joined Pax Silica, a US-led effort to strengthen supply chains for semiconductors and rare earth elements and reduce participating countries' dependence on China. (Photo by Jam STA ROSA / AFP via Getty Images) / TO GO WITH AFP STORY: Philippines-US-China-AI-technology, FOCUS by Pam Castro and Chad WILLIAMS