Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Tuesday called for a Senate inquiry into the proposed Pax Silica semiconductor and artificial intelligence hub in New Clark City, warning that the project’s economic promise must not come at the expense of water resources, the environment and nearby communities.
Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate committee on environment, natural resources and climate change, filed Senate Resolution No. 571 seeking an investigation into the project’s potential environmental and community impacts and whether existing safeguards are sufficient.
“When economic activity comes at the expense of safe water, clean air, livelihood, workers’ health, and the safety of the surrounding communities, We must ask: Sino ang umaasenso, at sino naman ang nagbabayad ng presyo ng pag-asenso ng iilan?” Tulfo said in his privilege speech.
The proposed Pax Silica hub is expected to bring about P600 billion in initial investments, 130,000 to 290,000 direct jobs and potentially P68 billion to P75 billion in annual tax revenues, according to figures cited by Tulfo.
But the senator said the scale of the planned development also raises questions about its demand for resources, particularly water.
“Bago tayo mag-dagdag ng isa pang major water consumer, kailangan malinaw saan manggagaling ang tubig? At kapag nag-kulang ang supply, sino ang priority?” he said.
Tulfo said the inquiry should determine what facilities will actually be established in the hub, including whether these will involve data centers, semiconductor facilities or both, and assess their potential effects on farmers, Indigenous Peoples and surrounding communities.
He also cited the case of Chuangxing Steel Inc. in Magalang, Pampanga, which he described as a warning about regulatory failures in large-scale industrial operations.
The facility was linked to the confiscation of P3 billion worth of radioactive and steel products, the arrest of four officials and the discovery of more than 300 workers operating under hazardous conditions, Tulfo said.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources had also flagged the facility for lacking valid permits for air pollution control and wastewater discharge, he added.
“The lessons from Chuangxing in Magalang, Pampanga must guide us as we look at another major development… Pax Silica is about 300 times bigger than Chuangxing as far as size goes. If we could not handle such a small company, paano pa itong malaking development?” Tulfo said.
He stressed that the inquiry was not intended to oppose the proposed hub but to ensure that its benefits and safeguards are clearly established before development proceeds.
“Kung jobs, livelihood, at government revenues ang ipinapangako, dapat malinaw na bahagi ng agreement ang mga commitments na iyan,” Tulfo said.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo backed the proposed inquiry, saying the government should first explain how the project’s electricity and water requirements would be met.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros also supported the probe, citing other cases involving industrial facilities and potential health and environmental risks.
“Inilatag ni Sen. Raffy Tulfo ang isang halimbawa ng mga maaaring maging epekto ng industrial development kung hindi mahigpit ang regulation at oversight,” Hontiveros said.
The proposed Pax Silica hub is part of efforts to position the Philippines as a regional center for semiconductor and AI-related industries.
