Pax Silica will not only exploit the Philippines’ natural resources and workforce, but it will also drag the country further into a role that serves ongoing U.S. military aggression and war. The Filipino people must reject Pax Silica and call on the Philippine government to end all agreements between the U.S. and the Philippines.

By Jhay de Jesus, World BEYOND War Asia Organizer, August 10, 2026

What is Pax Silica?

Pax Silica is a U.S.-led coalition launched in December 2025 as the U.S. Department of State’s flagship effort on artificial intelligence (AI) and supply chain security. This economic partnership between the U.S. and its allies will facilitate supply chains for mineral mining, semiconductor manufacturing, the creation of energy-intensive AI data centers, and surveillance technology infrastructure.

Currently, there are 24 member states to Pax Silica. Israel is among the founding members alongside the U.S., Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Taiwan is a non-signatory but has endorsed the declaration’s principles via the Joint Statement on the Pax Silica Declaration and U.S.-Taiwan Economic Security Cooperation.

The Philippines entered the coalition in April 2026. As part of its entry into the coalition, the Philippine government is leasing around 4,000 acres (1,600 hectares) of land in New Clark City, Tarlac, Central Luzon. As part of the broader Luzon Economic Corridor, this lease is intended to last up to 99 years. This Economic Security Zone will serve as a site for high-tech industries and supporting businesses, functioning as a supply chain hub for artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

The formal binding agreement is set to be signed in November 2026.

Issues Surrounding Pax Silica (How Will It Affect the Filipino People?)

Various sectors are raising critical concerns about this project. One major issue is the strain on electricity and water supplies. Because data centers run 24/7, they require vast amounts of power and water. An estimated 3,000 megawatts are needed to power the facilities, along with 60 to 130 million liters of water daily for their cooling systems—all while the country continues to face ongoing electricity and water crises.

Additionally, concerns regarding ancestral domains and agricultural land have surfaced. Local farmers are already experiencing problems of land grabbing and conversion from agricultural to commercial use. They also receive little to no support from the government. Indigenous communities in particular face land-grabbing of their ancestral domains by government and corporations. And now, these land categories are the site for Pax Silica infrastructure. Evictions of settlers already started as some families of farmers are offered small amounts to sell their lands to the government for this project.

Sovereignty also remains a central concern for the public. Historically, agreements between the Philippine and U.S. governments have been unequal. Starting with the Mutual Defense Treaty, these pacts have spawned further military cooperation, such as the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). These agreements opened more locations for permanent U.S. military presence in the country, which has been a source of human rights violations such as gender-based violence, further militarization of communities, and evictions.

While the Philippine government promises that Pax Silica will bring more jobs and economic growth, no consultations were conducted with affected communities and sectors. Furthermore, the government has provided no assurance that the formal binding agreement will be fair or capable of delivering on these promises.

July 27, 2026. Translation: Resist and Fight Pax Silica!
Young Bataeños for Environmental Advocacy Network (Young BEAN)

On Peace and Security

Pax Silica will serve U.S. military interests by hosting infrastructure used to develop surveillance systems, military technology, and the global arms industry.

Amid ongoing conflicts involving the U.S. and Israel in regions like Palestine and Iran, infrastructure under Pax Silica will support the U.S. and Israel’s objective of maintaining constant surveillance on designated rival nations and enhancing their military advantage. These facilities also leave local communities vulnerable to attacks if rival countries launch a counter-offensive. Furthermore, the coalition serves the U.S. objective of isolating China as a source of critical minerals for semiconductors while securing the loyalty of allied nations.

Additionally, companies that have expressed interest in investing are known supporters of the U.S.-Israeli military actions in West Asia. Under Project Nimbus, for example, Google and Amazon provide cloud computing, AI, and infrastructure services to the Israeli government. These two giant corporations are said to have expressed their interest or the Philippine government is actively courting them as key locators.

Before Pax Silica, the Philippines also entered another U.S.-led military manufacturing partnership to explore building ammunition production in the country. Under the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR), the Philippines together with other countries like Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand agreed to explore building new ammunition production lines. It also includes military drones standardization and regional maintenance hubs.

Our Calls

Pax Silica, like other agreements between the U.S. and the Philippines, is unequal and primarily serves U.S. hegemony and war efforts. The Philippine government continues to surrender our land, natural and human resources, and sovereignty to U.S. interests. Pax Silica is a clear response to the ongoing U.S. rivalry with China, as echoed by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro’s statement that sourcing from trusted suppliers and like-minded partners outside of China reduces the risk of compromised products, data breaches, and vulnerable supply chains.

We must learn from the experiences of communities hosting existing data centers and from our own history of “partnership” with the U.S.

We call on the Filipino people and the international community to reject Pax Silica. We urge the Philippine government to stop selling out our resources and sovereignty to the U.S. war machine.

We also call on the government to terminate all existing military agreements with the U.S.

Junk the Mutual Defense Treaty, Abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement, and Scrap the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement! The Philippine government must adopt a position of neutrality in the region.

Stop Selling Out Philippine Resources, Defend Our Sovereignty!

REJECT PAX SILICA! Pax Non Bellum!

The post Pax Silica: The Philippines’ Role in Propping up U.S. Militarism and War appeared first on World BEYOND War.

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