NGO Raises Alarm Over Philippines' Joining US-Led Pax Silica Initiative

MANILA, Philippines – Concerns about the Philippines’ participation in the Pax Silica initiative came into focus at a forum on the state of the presidency ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 27. The US-led initiative was among the issues discussed at the Center for People Empowerment in Governance’s (CenPEG) forum, “The Presidency and the People’s Trust: Governance, Accountability, and National Sovereignty,” held in partnership with the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication on Tuesday, July 21. CenPEG policy director Bobby Tuazon sounded the alarm on the Philippines’ participation in Pax Silica, a US-established program which the country joined in April. “Pax Silica essentially serves American interest to define the US-led global tech and economic alliance to dominate supply chains for artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and critical minerals designed to counter China’s dominance in technological manufacturing,” he said. Semiconductors are among the Philippines’ top exports. They are also fundamental building blocks of artificial intelligence systems. “This is a new structure that interlinks the Subic naval base where there is now a so-called technological hub, but actually an arms manufacturing depot run by the US, and then of course Clark, Manila, and Batangas,” Tuazon said, in reference to the proposed Luzon Economic Corridor, which aims to link the aforementioned areas through a freightway system. Other concerns related to Pax Silica are water consumption, potential for mining activities, and the possible displacement of indigenous communities residing in the area. Tuazon questioned the country’s foreign policy under Marcos: “Does the Philippines really have an independent foreign policy? I think many of us here would say right away that there’s no such thing. A foreign policy in theory should be dictated by national interest and nothing else. What we have is that foreign policy is dictated by American interest, particularly against China.” For Tuazon, the Philippines should instead prioritize economic development, especially modern agriculture and basic industrialization. “Let us reserve our natural resources and mineral resources for our own agricultural modernization and industries. These are the requisites we need to develop a truly free and independent foreign policy,” he said. – Isabel Victorino/Rappler.com Isabel Victorino is Nation intern for Rappler. Dhe is a 4th year Communication student at the Ateneo de Manila University and a Features staffer at her school publication, The GUIDON.