The journey may be longer than you think. Nickel mined in Rio Tuba, Palawan doesn’t simply leave the Philippines — it becomes part of the global electric vehicle supply chain. Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation's sister company, Sumitomo Metal Mining, processes the nickel in Japan before supplying battery materials to Panasonic, one of Tesla’s long-time battery partners. It’s a remarkable supply chain that begins in a Philippine mine and helps power one of the world’s most recognizable electric vehicles.