The Akbayan party-list has filed a resolution seeking a House investigation into the country’s participation with Pax Silica as it raised the alarm on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s ‘rushing’ to commit the country into the United States-led initiative.
The party-list filed House Resolution (HR) 1227 on Tuesday, a day after Marcos’ fifth State of the Nation Address when he mentioned the Pax Silica initiative, noting that it will bring ‘quality jobs’ that would revitalize the country’s economy.
‘It is deeply troubling that the President is rushing to commit our country to Pax Silica while he has yet to disclose the full details of the deal,’ said Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña in a statement on Wednesday.
Akbayan also noted that Marcos is ‘fast-tracking’ the framework agreement on Pax Silica amid a possible Manila visit of US President Donald Trump in November for Association of Southeast Asian Nations Leaders’ Summit.
As a separate branch from the executive, HR 1227 said it is incumbent upon the Congress to determine whether there is a need for legislative measures to safeguard the national interest.
The country became the 13th member of the Pax Silica initiative on April 16.
In line with this, the country has designated a 1,620-hectare site in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac as the proposed location of an AI and advanced manufacturing hub, which the Bases and Conversion Development Authority said could bring up to P180 billion in total revenues per year and generate almost 200,000 local jobs.
‘[N]otwithstanding these projected economic benefits, various stakeholders, including civil society organizations, environmental advocates, academic experts, and concerned citizens, have expressed legitimate concerns regarding the possible environmental, social, and governance implications of the initiative, including its potential effects on water resources, electricity demand, biodiversity, land use, climate resilience, local communities, indigenous peoples, and the long-term sustainability of natural resources,’ the resolution stated.
To further look into this, the HR 1227 urged appropriate House committees, particularly committees on trade and industry, economic affairs, natural resources, ecology, climate change, bases conversion, labor and employment, science and technology, energy and other relevant committees ‘to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation’ into the Pax Silica Initiative.
‘Congress must steadfastly do its role in sifting through the details of Pax Silica,’ Cendaña said.
Cendaña said the inquiry would be part of a ‘basic due diligence’ to find out if there are ‘unfair’ provisions therein.
Our historical experience tells us that we should approach promises from any superpower with skepticism,’ he said