By JEAN MANGALUZ, GMA News
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The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has submitted to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. the legal framework for the planned Pax Silica initiative, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the submission came as the BCDA continued discussions with its US development partner on the terms of their planned partnership.
“BCDA has submitted to the President through proper channels 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,” Castro said, quoting a message from the authority.
The partnership agreement is expected to be signed before the end of 2026, she added.
The proposed project has drawn widespread criticism over fears that it could displace Indigenous peoples and cause environmental damage. Despite these concerns, the Marcos administration has pushed ahead with the initiative, citing its potential economic benefits.
Castro has yet to clarify whether Marcos himself has received and reviewed the draft framework.
Aside from concerns over the potential displacement of Indigenous communities and environmental damage, the proposed Pax Silica initiative has also faced criticism over the apparent lack of transparency surrounding the project.
Initial reports described Pax Silica as an artificial intelligence (AI) data center. Government officials later characterized it as an AI and industrial hub amid mounting criticism.— MCG, GMA News
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