President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday reassured the public, particularly concerned communities and sectors, that the United States-led Pax Silica program in Luzon will neither endanger livelihoods nor displace local communities in the area as the government eyes signing the partnership agreement between Manila and Washington before the end of 2026.
This developed as the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) submitted to the President the legal framework governing the use of the 1,620-hectare advanced manufacturing park in New Clark City.
“As BCDA and its US Development partner continue to discuss the details of the partnership agreement, the expected signing of the agreement is before the end of 2026,” the BCDA said in a statement read by Palace Press Officer Claire Castro during a briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday.
Castro said she has no information, however, on whether the Office of the President has already received the documents submitted by the BCDA.
The President, in an interview after the oath-taking of elected members of the Malacañang media, reiterated that the Pax Silica program is projected to create tens of thousands of jobs, contrary to concerns that it would displace workers and communities.
“This is part of what we have done in positioning the Philippines within the supply chain, the value chain of what is the emerging industry of the digital economy and, of course, the onset of AI,” Marcos said.
Marcos also assured local communities in Tarlac of the government’s respect for cultural concerns, particularly the burial sites of local indigenous people.
“We are very sensitive to that. That’s not something that people should worry about. We are very sensitive about such cultural concerns and those are very much part of the discussions. No, let me assure everyone that that’s not something that we are going to allow to be put at risk,” Marcos also said.
The United States-led Pax Silica seeks to develop the Economic Security Zone in Clark City, which will help develop a high-tech manufacturing and innovation hub under the Luzon Economic Corridor that aims to position the Philippines as a key player in global supply chains for semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), and critical minerals.