Scientists say BCDA is selling Filipinos a false promise with Pax Silica

Advocates of Science and Technology for the People challenges the development claims surrounding the proposed Pax Silica Economic Security Zone in Tarlac.

A progressive group of Filipino scientists has challenged the Bases Conversion and Development Authority’s (BCDA) claims about the proposed 1,620-hectare Pax Silica Economic Security Zone in Tarlac, arguing that the project could displace farming communities, strain water and energy resources, and deliver far fewer long-term jobs than advertised.

In a statement, AGHAM Advocates of Science and Technology for the People said the government’s public statements paint “an incomplete picture” of the project’s likely impact.

The group maintained its opposition to Pax Silica, saying publicly available data contradict several key claims made by the BCDA.

Among AGHAM’s strongest objections is BCDA’s assertion that farmers and Indigenous Peoples will not be displaced.

The group pointed to an initial list of project-affected persons released earlier this month, saying residents from the barangays of O’Donnell, Aranguren, and Santa Lucia in Capas, Tarlac are expected to be affected.

It also noted that more than 30 percent of Capas consists of productive agricultural land and that Aeta communities near New Clark City have ancestral lands that remain unrecognized, making them vulnerable to displacement and loss of livelihood.

AGHAM also questioned BCDA’s claim that Pax Silica will primarily rely on renewable energy.

According to the group, AI data centers require uninterrupted electricity around the clock, making intermittent sources such as solar and wind insufficient on their own. It argued that the project could still depend on fossil fuels or other controversial energy sources, while even supplying part of its projected 3- to 5-gigawatt demand through solar would require more than a thousand hectares of additional land.

The group likewise disputed BCDA’s assurance that community water supplies would not be affected.

It said harvesting surface water and rainfall would still reduce the amount of water available to replenish underground aquifers and sustain nearby farming communities, while prolonged droughts brought about by climate change could further complicate the project’s water requirements.

On employment, AGHAM argued that AI data centers typically generate only hundreds of permanent jobs despite occupying vast areas of land.

While advanced manufacturing facilities could create thousands of factory jobs, the group said these would likely be export-oriented and may still rely on foreign engineers and technical specialists rather than Filipino workers.

The scientists also challenged BCDA’s assurance that Pax Silica would not be linked to weapons manufacturing.

They argued that artificial intelligence systems, semiconductors, and advanced electronics all have military applications, adding that BCDA itself has only said the project is “intended” for commercial use rather than guaranteeing its products will never support military operations.

AGHAM spokesperson Dr. Giovanni Tapang said the group’s review of publicly available data shows that a project of Pax Silica’s scale would inevitably harm nearby farming communities while offering limited long-term benefits to the country.

“The facts are clear—a project of this scale will invariably impact local farming communities negatively, and will not present any clear, long-term opportunities for the genuine development of our country,” Tapang said.

He added, “Pax Silica will only maintain our dependence on foreign companies and their technology, while Filipinos are stuck with the backbreaking menial labor and massive environmental cost.”

Tapang said the government should instead pursue a national industrialization policy focused on food security, public services, and industries that directly serve Filipinos rather than relying on foreign-led projects.

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