Raffy Tulfo seeks Senate inquiry over risks of proposed Pax Silica hub

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate committee on environment, natural resources, and climate change, raised concerns on Tuesday regarding the proposed Pax Silica semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) hub, pushing for a formal Senate inquiry into the project.

During a privilege speech, Tulfo insisted that the development of Pax Silica must not compromise local resources, the environment, farmers’ livelihoods, or the communities and ancestral lands of indigenous peoples.

“When economic activity comes at the expense of safe water, clean air, livelihood, workers’ health, and the safety of the surrounding communities, We must ask: Sino ang umaasenso, at sino naman ang nagbabayad ng presyo ng pag-asenso ng iilan?” Tulfo began.

(When economic activity comes at the expense of safe water, clean air, livelihood, workers’ health, and the safety of the surrounding communities, we must ask: Who is advancing, and who is paying the price of the advancement of the few?)

He continued: “Kung jobs, livelihood, at government revenues ang ipinapangako, dapat malinaw na bahagi ng agreement ang mga commitments na iyan. Kaya naghain ako ng Senate Resolution no. 571 calling for an inquiry into the proposed Pax Silica Hub in New Clark City to determine its environmental and community implications and whether our existing legal and regulatory safeguards are adequate.”

(If jobs, livelihoods, and government revenues are promised, those commitments should be clearly part of the agreement. That is why I have filed Senate Resolution no. 571 calling for an inquiry into the proposed Pax Silica Hub in New Clark City to determine its environmental and community implications and whether our existing legal and regulatory safeguards are adequate.)

Pax Silica comparison

For comparison, Tulfo recalled the impact of the steel production of Chuangxing Steel Incorporated in Magalang, Pampanga, which led to the confiscation of P3 billion worth of radioactive and steel products, the arrest of four of its officials, and over 300 employees found to have been working in hazardous conditions.

The steel production in Pampanga not only exposed the community to elevated radiations, but it was also flagged by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the lack of valid permits for air pollution control and wastewater discharge.

Despite repeated violations, Tulfo criticized that Chuanxing’s facility continued operations before their Environment Compliance Certificate was revoked.

“This is a wake-up call for us. A red flag that there is something wrong with our policies. How was this facility allowed to operate there for years?” Tulfo stressed.

Additionally, the Senator pointed out that Chuanxing repeatedly received a business permit despite the concerns of the residents. It was until it was raided by the National Bureau of Investigation that the local government suspended its permits.

With these, Tulfo questioned how the country could deal with a much larger development.

“The lessons from Chuangxing in Magalang, Pampanga must guide us as we look at another major development… Pax Silica is about 300 times bigger than Chuangxing as far as size goes. If we could not handle such a small company, paano pa itong malaking development?” he wondered.

(The lessons from Chuangxing in Magalang, Pampanga must guide us as we look at another major development… Pax Silica is about 300 times bigger than Chuangxing as far as size goes. If we could not handle such a small company, how could this be a big development?)

And while the Senator highlighted the promise of Pax Silica to the economy, he also emphasized its trade-offs.

“Investments are welcome, but transparency and accountability are non-negotiable. Maganda ang mga numero sa economic side ng Pax Silica: around P600 billion in projected initial investments, 130,000 to 290,000 direct jobs, hundreds of thousands of indirect jobs, and potentially P68 to 75 billion in annual tax revenues,” he started.

(Investments are welcome, but transparency and accountability are non-negotiable. The numbers on the economic side of Pax Silica are good: around P600 billion in projected initial investments, 130,000 to 290,000 direct jobs, hundreds of thousands of indirect jobs, and potentially P68 to 75 billion in annual tax revenues.)

Tulfo then added: “But a project of this scale will also require significant resources, especially water. Some AI facilities abroad reportedly consume millions of gallons of water for cooling and other operations… Nakita na natin sa ilang hearings kung gaano ka-seryoso ang problema sa water supply, including in parts of Tarlac and Pampanga. Kaya bago tayo mag-dagdag ng isa pang major water consumer, kailangan malinaw saan manggagaling ang tubig? At kapag nag-kulang ang supply, sino ang priority?”

(But a project of this scale will also require significant resources, especially water. Some AI facilities abroad reportedly consume millions of gallons of water for cooling and other operations… We have seen in several hearings how serious the water supply problem is, including in parts of Tarlac and Pampanga. So before we add another major water consumer, we need to be clear about where the water is coming from? And when the supply is lacking, who is the priority?)

“Napaka-rami pa ring tanong na kailangang sagutin. Ano ba talaga ang itatayo? Data centers? Semiconductor facilities? Ano ang magiging epekto nito sa environment, farmers, indigenous peoples, at mga residente sa paligid? At kung sinasabing lilikha ito ng libo-libong trabaho, anong klaseng trabaho ba ang mapupunta sa mga Pilipino?” the senator stressed.

(There are still so many questions that need to be answered. What exactly will be built? Data centers? Semiconductor facilities? What impact will it have on the environment, farmers, indigenous peoples, and surrounding residents? And if it is said to create thousands of jobs, what kind of jobs will it create for Filipinos?)

After Tulfo’s speech, his brother, Sen. Erwin Tulfo reiterated Raffy’s sentiment.

“Sumusuporta po ako dito po sa Pax Silica pero at the same time, bago po natin yakapin ito at tanggapin, kailangan lang po natin maliwanagan. Ipaliwanag po sa atin ng pamahalaan ng ahensyang humahawak po sa mga ito tulad po ng kuryente, tulad po ng tubig,” the younger Tulfo voiced out.

(I support Pax Silica but at the same time, before we embrace it and accept it, we just need to be enlightened. Let the government and the agency that handles these things explain to us, like electricity, like water.)

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, likewise, backed Tulfo’s proposal for an inquiry, stating that the latter’s example is only one of the other instances of the harms of steel plants.

“Hindi po isolated case yung ipinakita po niya earlier this year ang PNRI, ang Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, ay nakahanap ng presensya ng uranium-238, thorium-232, at thorium-228 sa imported feedstock sa Philippine Sanja Steel Corporation na nasa loob ng isang special economic zone,” Hontiveros shared.

(It is not an isolated case that he showed earlier this year that the PNRI, the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, found the presence of uranium-238, thorium-232, and thorium-228 in imported feedstock at the Philippine Sanja Steel Corporation which is located within a special economic zone.)

She then echoed Tulfo’s concerns regarding health and the impact of such hubs to the community.

Earlier on the same day, Hontiveros filed Senate Resolution No. 588, calling on the Senate to hold an inquiry into the domestic steel industry in order to create measures that ensure its development, and to regulate the standards of its output, and the safety risks it poses to the laborers. /jpv

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