The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) on Monday welcomed the proposal to make Palawan an alternative site for the PAX Silica industrial hub, but said any technology or industry established in the region should be backed by the necessary support and safeguards.
“The expression of interest is very good. Of course, when we talk about technology application, we need to look at the needed support for whatever technology or industry will be set up in MIMAROPA,” Renato U. Solidum Jr., Secretary of DoST said during a media interview at the region’s 2026 Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW).
“At DoST, we promote sustainable development. This means we need to not only focus on the technology, but also on the safeguards that we want to introduce whenever an establishment is constructed,” he added.
The statement stemmed from Palawan 2nd District Representative Jose C. Alvarez, who told News5 in an interview that the PAX Silica industrial hub could be built in Palawan if communities at its original site in Luzon continue to reject it.
Mr. Solidum also said that the proposal would depend on the type of facility to be established, noting that an artificial intelligence (AI) hub or data center could serve different purposes.
He said a conventional data center could be designed as a facility where other companies or organizations occupy space, while DoST’s approach is to establish facilities that use government data to support the operations of national agencies and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“In that sense, we need to make sure that the technology that we use in terms of AI would not ingest the data that are being provided or being used where AI will be used,” Mr. Solidum said.
He said proponents of an AI facility should also consider whether the site would simply be offered to companies for rental or whether it would be developed as a sovereign data center that could securely host government data and improve public-sector operations.
Pax Silica is a US-led initiative aimed at strengthening supply chains for artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and critical minerals, with the country hosting a proposed AI and advanced manufacturing hub under the program.
The proposed hub has faced criticism from civil society groups and other sectors over its potential environmental, social, and economic impacts.
The Makabayan bloc also raised opposition about the initiative, raising concerns over its implications for Philippine sovereignty, land use and the country’s role in the US-led technology supply chain.
Meanwhile, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said the proposed Pax Silica development in New Clark City could attract up to US $70 billion in investments once fully developed and generate up to 190,000 direct jobs, alongside 500,000 to 800,000 indirect and induced jobs.
BCDA also said it is addressing concerns over the project’s potential impact on water supply, energy, the environment, indigenous communities, and national security, stressing that the project will comply with Philippine laws and undergo the necessary environmental and regulatory assessments. — Edg Adrian A. Eva
