KMJS Pax Silica docu echoes Kara David report, sparks debate on indigenous issues

The report arrives shortly after David’s widely discussed documentary, “Ibinasurang Paraiso,” which examined environmental degradation affecting the Ayta community in Subic, Zambales.

On social media, audiences were quick to compare the two, with some praising both journalists for bringing attention to issues surrounding indigenous rights and environmental protection. One netizen wrote, “Jessica Soho and Kara David single-handedly doing the government’s job of protecting the environment, the indigenous peoples, and the agricultural sector. DENR, NCIP, PBBM ano na?”

Beyond the online buzz, Soho’s report dives into the broader debate surrounding Pax Silica, a planned semiconductor and artificial intelligence hub. While the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has maintained that no titled ancestral domains will be displaced and that the project will rely on rainwater harvesting instead of existing community sources, concerns over its environmental, social, and economic implications continue to surface.

To capture the situation on the ground, the KMJS team traveled to Tarlac, where they spoke directly with families from indigenous communities. Several residents called on the government to halt the project, expressing fears of displacement and the possible loss of their cultural heritage and livelihoods.

As discussions around Pax Silica intensify, the voices of those living within and around the proposed site remain at the center of the unfolding issue.

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