DAVAO City councilors expressed apprehensions about the proposed Pax Silica Industrial Hub, stressing that the country is not yet ready for it and that further study and planning are needed before the project proceeds.
Councilor Louie John Bonguyan, chairperson of the Committee on Energy and Water, said both Davao City and the country still lack the necessary preparations for the project's operation.
“It is not yet ready when it comes here diri lang sa siyudad sa Davao pero basin in the future pero as of now maglisod pa ta ana,” he said during the Pulong-Pulong sa Dabawenyos on August 4, 2026, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
(It is not yet ready here in Davao City. Maybe in the future, but as of now, we're still not ready for that.)
Bonguyan said the country does not have sufficient power and water resources to sustain the operation of the proposed industrial hub.
However, he acknowledged that the project could generate tax revenues and create employment opportunities.
Meanwhile, Councilor Luna Acosta echoed Bonguyan's position, saying the country is not yet ready for the project. She added that government funds would be better spent addressing more pressing national concerns.
“The millions of pesos that would be used in funding the Pax Silica would better be used to improve the conditions of the lives of Filipinos, for example, increase support in agriculture, tourism, rather than focusing on IT and cybersecurity things na dili kaayo main problems of Filipinos right now,” she said.
(The millions of pesos that would be used to fund the Pax Silica would be better spent on improving the lives of Filipinos — for example, by increasing support for agriculture and tourism — rather than focusing on IT and cybersecurity, which are not among the country's most pressing problems at the moment.)
Acosta also raised concerns about the country's cybersecurity capacity and the possible impact of the project on neighboring countries, saying they might perceive Pax Silica as a threat to their security.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier said during his fifth State of the Nation Address that the proposed Pax Silica Industrial Hub would strengthen the Philippines' position in the global artificial intelligence (AI) and technology value chain.
Pax Silica is a proposed high-tech manufacturing and innovation hub under the Luzon Economic Corridor that aims to position the country as a key player in global supply chains for semiconductors, AI, and critical minerals.
Once fully developed, the project is expected to attract between US$40 billion and US$70 billion in investments and generate up to 190,000 jobs.
However, several environmental and scientific groups have opposed the proposal, citing concerns over its projected consumption of water and power resources, possible community displacement, threats to national sovereignty, and potential environmental pollution. RGP
