Host town seeks more info on Pax Silica
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Mayor Roseller Rodriguez of Capas, Tarlac, has asked the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to “enlighten” the municipal government about the Pax Silica initiative planned within the government-owned 9,500-hectare New Clark City (NCC) in his town.
“No other proximate community stands to bear the brunt of the environmental issues of the proposed Pax Silica Project more than the municipality of Capas,” Rodriguez told BCDA president Joshua Bingcang in a letter, a copy of which was posted on social media.
Rodriguez said the local government has to “address the concerns of its constituents and ensure the protection of the welfare of the people of Capas,” hence the need for its leaders “to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the project.”
According to him, they are interested to know Pax Silica’s objectives, scope, timeline, environment and social safeguards, expected economic benefits, regulatory compliance and potential impacts on the town and its people.
Mark Torres, officer in charge of the BCDA’s Office of the Senior Vice President, told the Inquirer on Thursday that they would comply with the request of the Capas local government.
“Yes, the BCDA will make a comprehensive presentation to the local officials once details are firmed [up],” he said.
Torres said the agency had presented initial plans on NCC to the concerned local governments where Pax Silica was introduced as a potential development.
‘Preliminary step’
Rodriguez said the BCDA presentation to Capas officials would be a “preliminary step” to the conduct of a public consultation.
He vowed to continue defending the right of every Capas resident to “know the truth and be part of issues involving the future of the town.”
Pax Silica is a coalition led by the United States seeking to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced manufacturing, energy and logistics.
The Philippines joined it last April and has designated a 1,620-hectare site at NCC in Capas as hub for AI and advanced manufacturing, and the Port of Subic in Zambales province as its maritime gateway.
The initiative is part of the broader Luzon Economic Corridor partnership which was among the key topics discussed in the meeting of President Marcos and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the latter’s visit last week.
Mr. Marcos highlighted Pax Silica in his fifth State of the Nation Address last Monday, pointing to its potential to “create an ecosystem that has AI at its core” that will bring “quality jobs to our people, accelerate our industrial competitiveness, and revitalize our economy.”
NCC is part of Clark Freeport that sits on lands used to be leased by the US government for its air base and is now a special economic zone operated by the BCDA.
Call for transparency
Earlier, the Benedictine community in St. Scholastica’s Academy (SSA) in Pampanga had called for the immediate and public release of all environmental, social, and economic impact studies related to the Pax Silica project.
They also asked that genuine consultations with affected communities, educational institutions, indigenous peoples, civil society organizations, and local governments in Central Luzon be conducted.
“We firmly believe that no development project—regardless of its projected economic benefits—should proceed without full transparency, meaningful public participation, and clear guarantees regarding its environmental, social, and national implications,” SSA said in a statement.
“There is still no publicly available comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment, no complete disclosure of the project’s long-term water and energy requirements, and no full accounting of its effects on host communities and neighboring provinces, including Pampanga,” it added.
The militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in Central Luzon said Pax Silica was “not for Filipinos but for foreign interest,” referring to its use of a large area for agriculture, potential destruction of natural resources and “false promises of jobs.” —WITH A REPORT FROM JUN A. MALIG
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