The United States-led Pax Silica initiative could create up to 300,000 jobs for Filipinos due to the potential influx of technology-related businesses to the Philippines once the AI-focused industrial hub is developed in New Clark City, Tarlac, said Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez on Sunday. 

Romualdez made the assurance amid growing concerns and criticisms from various sectors, particularly environmental advocates, farmers, and fisherfolk groups, about the significant downside of creating the hub, as it involves over 1,600 hectares and demands substantial water and energy resources. 

“Many businesses, especially on the technology side, will be brought to the Philippines because we have a trusted partner, the United States,” the envoy said in Filipino in a radio interview. 

The Pax Silica could generate businesses and thousands of jobs as early as 2027 if the Philippines gets the project underway within this year, he added. 

The revenue it could generate, he continued, could also help the country become more militarily equipped amid persistent tensions with China, rather than relying solely on aid from other countries, such as the US.

“Of course, because of our Mutual Defense Treaty, it seems that the United States is also helping us. But at the end of the day, we want to be independently strong both economically and militarily,” he said. 

The Pax Silica, proposed in December 2025, is an AI and advanced technology hub to be built in New Clark City under the US-led initiative.

The project aims to secure supply chains for semiconductors, AI, and critical minerals to reduce tech reliance on China, a major technological superpower that leads the world in areas like green energy, high-speed rail, and advanced manufacturing, while also competing heavily in AI and robotics.

The US partnered with several countries, including Japan, Korea, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, and the United Kingdom, to launch the Pax Silica. In April, the Philippines joined the coalition and agreed to host the industrial hub, hoping to attract billions in investment. 

However, several groups and progressive lawmakers strongly opposed the Pax Silica, arguing that the high-tech hub’s massive cooling and processing demands could further strain the Philippines’ already fragile grid and water supply to the breaking point.

In terms of power, the project could allegedly trigger rolling blackouts across the Philippines and drive electricity rates—the country’s highest in ASEAN—even higher. 

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority, which leads the preparations, projected that Pax Silica could demand 3 gigawatts, or 3 million kilowatts, of energy daily.

Critics raised concerns that the increased demand could adversely affect agricultural and ancestral lands and create environmental risks in the absence of adequate safeguards. 

Romualdez, however, slammed critics for dwelling on the negative without considering the significant gains that the Pax Silica could generate for the country.

He argued that the country would not have agreed to host the hub if it compromised its energy and water resources. 

“That’s the problem with us. We always tend to think negatively. It’s as if we’re always immediately looking for problems. Of course, we will address those environmental concerns,” he stressed.

Romualdez argued that the Philippines was treated “favorably” because other countries aspire to have Pax Silica, but were not given the opportunity to host the hub.