The Philippines’ mainline Protestant council has urged the government to reconsider its participation in Pax Silica and warned that the U.S.-led initiative could displace farmers and Indigenous Aeta communities and strain water and power supplies.
In a statement issued Aug. 14, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) rejected the establishment of Pax Silica, which it described as an economic security framework aimed at creating a global supply chain for artificial intelligence and the semiconductor industry.
The NCCP said technological development has improved lives in health, education, transportation, and other fields, but warned that the rapid expansion of AI must be examined for its social and environmental consequences.
“As people of faith, we are called to examine deeper the societal and environmental implications of the global technological race in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and warfare using the lens of justice,” the council said.
The NCCP accused powerful nations and multinational corporations of driving AI expansion for profit and geopolitical influence rather than public welfare.
It said Pax Silica is being pushed “not for the benefit of the Filipino people, but to advance and preserve the United States’ economic and technological dominance and military power.”
The council said plans linked to the initiative include a 1,620-hectare industrial hub in Tarlac on land currently tilled by Filipino farmers and Indigenous Aeta communities.
The proposed hub is also within the framework of the Luzon Economic Corridor, which the NCCP said has already raised displacement threats in rural communities.
“While the government highlights the gains, advantages, and opportunities that Pax Silica is expected to bring, we should not ignore the scale of the potential negative impacts and dangers it poses to God’s people and the whole of Creation,” the council said.
The NCCP said the industrial hub would require 5 gigawatts of electricity, potentially adding pressure to the country’s power supply and driving up electricity costs for consumers.
It also said the project is expected to consume about 130 million liters of water a day, a demand that could compete with the needs of agricultural communities and worsen water scarcity in areas vulnerable to drought.
“We, therefore, should always ask: ‘Who benefits? Who pays the price? And how about the ‘little ones’?’” the NCCP said.
The council called on government officials to reassess the country’s involvement in the initiative and consider its consequences for affected communities and the environment.
“Our moral conviction is a call for discernment, guided by justice and vision for an abundant life,” the statement read.
“Thus, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines calls on people in government to reassess their position and loyalty, show their patriotism, and defend the land and the Filipino people against the subjugation brought about by the empire-serving alliance, Pax Silica,” it added.
The NCCP also urged Filipinos to remain “critical, alert, and vigilant against falsehood, manipulation, and schemes” and called on churches to become spaces for public education.
“Let our churches be open and become venues for learning. Let our pulpits be used to proclaim the truth and the good news to the poor,” it said.
