Manobo artist asks, “Anong iiwanan nila sa atin?” as she raises concerns over ancestral lands and displacement.
Folk music icon and Manobo artist Bayang Barrios is using her voice to sound the alarm on the real-life consequences of the US-led Pax Silica initiative in Capas, Tarlac.
In an interview with radar Entertainment, the “Katutubong Diva” held back tears over the displacement of Indigenous peoples and local farmers, who she says are being abruptly evicted from their lands to make way for the massive foreign business venture.
As part of the Pax Silica initiative, which aims to “secure global supply chains for artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and critical minerals,” a 4,000-acre high-tech industrial and innovation hub has been proposed for New Clark City in Tarlac.
While officials tout that the massive zone could generate over 130,000 high-quality jobs and pull billions in investments, Barrios is questioning the true cost to the Philippines’ most vulnerable sectors.
“Nakakaiyak kasi kawawa naman ‘yong mga kapwa natin, ‘di ba?” she shared, her voice breaking. “Pinapaalis na sila [Indigenous peoples]: ‘Basta, aalis kayo dahil may darating na business.'”
The Agusan del Sur-born artist challenged the narrative of endless economic growth, asking pointedly what happens when the project’s lifespan ends.
“Sinasabi nila maraming trabahong darating. Pero after that, ano? Anong iiwanan nila sa atin? Aalis sila, iiwanan nila kung ano ‘yong mga dumi nila na iiwan sa atin, at mawawalan pa ng lupa ang mga katutubo at mga magsasaka.”
The Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KATRIBU) vehemently condemns the Pax Silica initiative, protesting its risk on ancestral lands and evicting farmers and Aeta communities in Sitio Sapang Kawayan and Sitio Binayayan.
“Hindi poprotektahan at kikilalanin ng Pax Silica Initiative ang mga lupang ninuno. Sa halip, lalo nitong paiigtiingin ang paglabag sa Free, Prior, and Informed Consent o FPIC, at bubuksan ang mga Katutubong komunidad sa mas maraming pagmimina, militarisasyon, at pandarambong,” KATRIBU asserted.
Instead of destroying ancestral domains for a high-tech manufacturing hub, Barrios passionately urged that efforts should instead focus on providing genuine aid to farmers and protecting the Indigenous’ ancestral lands.
She stressed that these communities are the backbone of the country and should not be treated as disposable in the name of foreign industrial acceleration. The Philippines formally joined the Pax Silica coalition as its 13th member in April 2026.
Never one to back down, Barrios called on netizens to amplify the struggles of those on the ground. “Gawin natin, like tayong nasa socmed, parating natin sa mga hindi alam kung ano ba talaga,” she urged.
Wrapping up her powerful plea, the “Encantadia” theme song singer questioned the fairness of foreign hegemons shifting their heavy industrial burdens to Philippine soil, asking, “Ayaw na nila dun sa sarili nilang bansa, bakit dito nila ilagay?”
Site development for the AI and semiconductor hub in New Clark City, Tarlac is expected to be signed off by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. this November, with the first phase of construction eyed to rollout around 2028.
According to agreements with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the Philippine government offered the site rent-free as an “in-kind contribution” to the United States for an initial two-year period, renewable for up to 99 years.
READ:
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