HONTIVEROS PUSHES PROBE ON PAX SILICA’S ECONOMIC PROMISES, RISKS TO WORKERS, COMMUNITIES

SENATOR Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution seeking an investigation, in aid of legislation, into the possible displacement of workers and communities by projects related to the Pax Silica Industrial Hub.

Under Proposed Senate Resolution No. 563 Hontiveros said “there is a need to thoroughly assess the community, regional and national economic impact of the Pax Silica Initiative and all affiliated projects, and verify if the initiative will truly serve the economic interests of Filipinos—both at the macro and grassroots levels.”

Pax Silica is a United States-led initiative that promises to attract large-scale investments, generate hundreds of thousands of jobs and make the Philippines a key regional hub for advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies.

During his 2026 State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the initiative would “bring quality jobs to our people, accelerate our industrial competitiveness, and revitalize our economy.”

Hontiveros, however, stressed that the government must first examine whether Pax Silica and its affiliated projects will deliver on these promises without uprooting communities or placing Filipino jobs and livelihoods at risk.

The senator specifically raised concerns about the possible relocation of Aeta and farming communities in and around the proposed 4,000-acre Pax Silica site in the Luzon Economic Corridor.

“News reports and warnings by advocacy groups point to the looming displacement and disruption to the livelihood of people living within and outside the project area—with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority itself reportedly preparing relocation and employment opportunities for Aeta and farmer communities,” the resolution read.

Despite the BCDA’s projection that Pax Silica could create up to 190,000 direct jobs and 800,000 indirect and induced jobs, Hontiveros also warned that Filipinos who will get hired to develop and train Artificial Intelligence systems could eventually be displaced by the same technology.

“Unemployment and underemployment persist as structural conditions of the Philippine labor market, and the prospect is real that Filipino workers will be engaged to develop and train the very artificial intelligence systems that may in time displace them from their occupations,” the resolution read.

“We cannot evaluate an investment based on its headline value alone. The Philippines needs capital with purpose—investment that creates decent jobs, strengthens local industries, protects communities and the environment, and safeguards our digital security and national sovereignty,” it added.