The Department of Justice (DOJ) is prepared to examine the legal and constitutional issues surrounding the proposed Pax Silica technology hub once the project is formally referred to the department, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix L. Ty said Friday.

Ty said the project is currently being handled by economic agencies, particularly the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

"At this point, Pax Silica is primarily an economic matter, so we are leaving it to the DTI, NEDA and the other concerned agencies," Ty said.

He added that the DOJ recognizes the scale of the proposed development and expects to become involved once legal issues or agreements require review.

"Considering the magnitude of the project, the DOJ will have a role when the time comes to examine the agreements and the legality of the entire process," Ty said.

"If it does get to that point, we will be ready."

Asked whether the DOJ is already monitoring potential constitutional concerns, Ty said the department would wait until the matter is formally referred.

"We'll wait until it is referred to us. But if that does happen, we'll be ready to look into the legal and constitutional angles of this endeavor," he said.

The proposed Pax Silica project is a United States-backed technology hub that aims to establish a 1,619-hectare semiconductor and artificial intelligence ecosystem in New Clark City, Tarlac, under the Luzon Economic Corridor.

The project is expected to generate billions of pesos in annual revenues and create nearly 200,000 jobs once fully operational.