The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), which is hosting the proposed Pax Silica AI Innovation Hub in New Clark City, said it is prepared to provide the facts and ensure full transparency amid the planned Senate inquiry initiated by Senator Imee Marcos.
“BCDA welcomes the Senate’s oversight and stands ready to provide the facts needed for a fair and transparent discussion. We hear the concerns raised by Senator Imee Marcos, our farmers, and our local communities,” said BCDA President and CEO Joshua M. Bingcang in a statement.
“BCDA remains committed to ensuring that development is inclusive, responsible, and creates lasting opportunities for every community that calls New Clark City home.”
Senator Marcos, sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on Monday filed a resolution seeking an investigation, in aid of legislation, into the water and electricity requirements and the long-term environmental impacts of the proposed Pax Silica industrial hub.
Under proposed Senate Resolution No. 547, Marcos said that while the initiative aims to spur economic growth, attract foreign direct investments, and create jobs for Filipinos, “serious concerns persist regarding its heavy footprint on local land use, rural agricultural livelihoods, ecological stability and environmental stability.”
Bingcang said BCDA will meet anew with Capas Mayor Roseller “Boots” Rodriguez, local government units, and other stakeholders to listen, engage, and discuss the way forward.
Pax Silica is a U.S.-led international economic security initiative to secure supply chains for artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and critical minerals. A major development includes a planned 1,619-hectare AI and semiconductor hub in New Clark City.
Opportunities
Bingcang said the growth of New Clark City would also create more opportunities for farmers and Ayta communities living around the area.
To support this, BCDA has designated areas within New Clark City for modern agriculture, including a 50-hectare agricultural zone and the 10-hectare Ayta Ethnobotanical Center, which was launched last year to benefit 300 Ayta farmers from Capas and Bamban and is designed for expansion to 50 hectares. The agency has also earmarked another 100 hectares for future agricultural development.
In addition, BCDA has allocated relocation sites within New Clark City for affected households to minimize disruptions to their daily lives and ensure they continue to benefit from the city’s development.
“Together, these efforts will expand employment and strengthen sustainable livelihoods for farmers and Ayta communities in New Clark City,” he said.
Context
Amid mounting criticism of the Pax Silica initiative, BCDA said the proposed development should be viewed within the broader context of New Clark City’s long-term master plan.
The proposed Pax Silica Innovation Ecosystem will occupy 1,620 hectares, representing only 4.6 percent of the 35,300-hectare Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone. The site is located within areas designated for industrial, residential, institutional, and mixed-use development under New Clark City’s master development plan.
BCDA also noted that 15,141 hectares, or 43 percent of the ecozone, remain dedicated to ancestral domains for Indigenous Peoples—an area nearly 10 times larger than the proposed Pax Silica site.
The agency added that New Clark City was master-planned with sustainability at its core, with 60 percent of its total land area permanently allocated for green open spaces, forests, parks, waterways, and environmental reserves, while only 40 percent is designated for development. This, BCDA said, ensures that economic growth is balanced with environmental protection and climate resilience.
Beyond the ecozone, another 10,700 hectares have been reserved exclusively for Agrarian Reform Program beneficiaries—an area nearly seven times larger than the proposed Pax Silica site.
BCDA said these figures demonstrate that “Pax Silica represents only a small portion of a much larger, carefully planned development that balances economic progress, environmental stewardship, and the protection of communities.”
