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Senator Imee Marcos believes that consultation should first be conducted before the government proceeds with the planned construction of the Pax Silica Industrial Center in New Clark City, Tarlac.
The senator questioned where the supply of water and electricity would come from, especially now that farmers are already experiencing shortages and brownouts have become frequent.
For the lawmaker, the promised billion-dollar investment and jobs to be created by the project are not enough if the livelihood of farmers and indigenous residents in the area would be sacrificed in exchange.
Senator Imee requested that the Senate investigate the complaints of farmers, who have reportedly been stopped from planting and have also experienced intimidation.
She emphasized that under the order of the Department of Agrarian Reform, any land use conversion must be ensured to be in accordance with the law.
Pax Silica is a US-led initiative that designates a roughly 1,620-hectare (about 4,000-acre) site in New Clark City, Tarlac as an AI-native industrial hub, covering data centers, semiconductor processing, and advanced manufacturing.
The government has estimated the project could generate 130,000 to 190,000 direct jobs, along with 500,000 to 800,000 indirect and induced jobs.
However, the project is expected to require about 130 million liters of water a day and 3 gigawatts of electricity, equivalent to 16% of Luzon's current grid capacity, figures that have fueled concerns like those raised by Senator Marcos over water and power supply for surrounding communities.
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Date posted: August 3, 2026 3:13 PM