Tinio: PH must not become dumping ground for US AI hubs

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines should not become a dumping ground for Artificial Intelligence (AI) hubs that US states are seeking to keep “out of their backyards,” Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said on Saturday.

Tinio reiterated his concerns over the proposed US-led Pax Silica hub in New Clark City, Tarlac, noting that 15 US states had already pursued legislative measures to restrict the development of AI data centers as of the second quarter of 2026.

“The Philippines already has enough problems as it is. We do not need new and bigger problems due to US dictates using Pax Silica. The US government and the Marcos administration should not dump AI and hyperscale hubs in the Philippines along with its numerous problems,” he said in a statement on Saturday.

Tinio cited New York’s enactment of a statewide construction moratorium on data centers, which temporarily halted any operations of facilities with incomplete permits that required 50 megawatts or more power.

He added that lawmakers in Georgia, Maine, Maryland, and Michigan were also pushing for moratorium bills to pause approvals and permits of AI hubs.

Tinio warned that the country may fall into a similar fate as Texas with over 1,800 proposed AI projects under development.

These data centers are projected to consume more than 474 gigawatts of electricity demand, nearly six times the state’s peak capacity, according to Tinio.

“If American states are slamming the brakes on these projects because of their catastrophic impact on power, water, and the environment, why on earth should the Philippines accept what they are rejecting?” he pointed out.

The lawmaker emphasized that despite having 56 percent of Texas voters opposing the plan, data centers are still being pushed through.

He further mentioned that, according to foreign critics, the state proposed land at a lower cost, tax breaks, and easing regulations to data center developers “only to face a massive infrastructure burden”.

“The Marcos administration’s puppetry to US economic and military dictates is already burdening the Filipino people. We must not compound this by accepting hyperscale data centers that will drain our power supply, strain our water resources, and burden our communities— all to serve foreign interests,” he stressed.

The 1,620-hectare site development for the planned Pax Silica is expected to begin within three to five years, with the first phase projected to cover about 500 hectares, according to Bases Conversion and Development Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua Bingcang. /gsg

Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.