MANILA — Citing concerns over the expected water and electricity consumption of the Pax Silica project, some House lawmakers filed a resolution seeking an inquiry.
House Resolution 1247, filed on July 29, seeks to determine the project’s implications on national security, data governance, environmental protection, and foreign participation in critical industries, among others.
According to one of the authors, Albay 1st District Representative Cielo Lagman, the project reportedly requires around 130 million liters of water per day.
This may become a problem during El Niño, Lagman said.
“Alam naman natin ‘pag AI ‘yan, ang lakas ng consumption sa tubig. The project will reportedly require about 130 million liters of water a day, or equivalent to the domestic consumption of over 6,000 households. While the BCDA states that the project will rely on surface water and impounding systems, what legally binding guarantees will be instituted to prevent locators from tapping into aquifers during severe El Niño events or prolonged droughts when Central Luzon's farmers face critical irrigation deficits?” Lagman asked.
Lagman said other questions about the initiative remain unanswered, including what safeguards against power outages are in place.
“Napag-alaman din natin that the project, this proposed project in New Clark City in Tarlac will require around 3 GW of electricity, approximately 16 percent of Luzon's grid capacity. So maraming mga katanungan dito. Has the DOE put in place a specific grid integration plan to ensure that this massive industrial load will not trigger power outages or price spikes or force Filipino consumers to subsidize the transmission upgrades for multinational locators?” Lagman asked.
Lagman said they are seeking concrete information, instead of just press statements, in response to the Palace’s statement on no farmer being displaced by Pax Silica.
Palace: No farmers will be displaced by Pax Silica Hub
“Puro press statements. Kailangan namin makita talaga. Kasi marami daw na mga naririnig natin na may mga indigenous peoples na madi-displace. Of course, government property ‘to, BCDA property ‘to, pero gusto namin makita talaga kung mayroon talagang madi-displace– pero hindi lang ‘yung displacement ng mismo 1,600 hectares ang pinag-uusapan natin, pero ano yung ma-a-affect ng farmlands sa vicinity,” Lagman said.
According to Caloocan 2nd District Representative Edgar Erice, there has yet to be an environmental impact assessment made public on the project to prove there is enough water supply for its development.
“‘Yung cost of development niyan, napakalaki– power, water, road network, environmental. Hindi pa nga natin alam kung– sinasabi nila may sapat na tubig. Paano nila malalaman ‘yun? Wala pa namang environmental impact assessment,” Erice said.
Based on the House resolution, the inquiry aims to determine safeguards against unauthorized use of artificial intelligence technologies, as well as the extent of consultation conducted with affected local government units and concerned communities, among others.
Aside from Lagman and Erice, Kamanggagawa party-list Representative Elijah San Fernando, ML party-list Representative Leila de Lima, and PhilRECA party-list Representative Presley De Jesus are listed as authors of the resolution.
2026 REVISED FREE, PRIOR AND INFORMED CONSENT
The Philippine National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) meanwhile revealed that it had approved revised guidelines for the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process.
Under the 2026 Revised FPIC guidelines, the process of securing consent from IP communities is being threatened by the imposition of a specific number of days allotted for decision-making.
“Sa loob ng FPIC, pinapaikli, napakaikli ng consultation process, nung pagkuha ng consent. Tinatanggalan ng boses yung mga elders, para balikan yung kanilang traditional systems of decision making at consent within the community,” Atty. Mai Taqueban, Executive Director, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC).
This has resulted in what many see as an unfair application of the rights of Indigenous Peoples, whose communities have long upheld the country's culture and traditions.
Community in Tarlac fears displacement as Malacañang supports Pax Silica project
For them, consultation cannot be confined to a fixed number of days, and decision-making is not a process that should be rushed.
Their culture and traditions have endured precisely because every decision matters, especially when their lives, their communities, and the way of life they have chosen to protect are at stake.
FPIC, as Timuay Jojo Ambangan of Erumanen ne Menuvu describes it, is the language of the government and those in authority.
“Lenggwahe ito ng estado, Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). Pero, sa pamayanan ito ay espiritual na usapin. Dahil, ang desisyun nakabatay sa tao. Kailangan mo i-consult yung mga pinaniniwalaan, yung spirits, diwata, mga katutubo na naninirahan sa partikular na mga lugar,” said Ambangan.
But for Ambangan and his community, consent carries far greater meaning than a simple approval for development.
What has left them upset is that, based on their own consultations within their respective communities, several projects appeared to involve forced consent.
These projects were approved abruptly, and, sadly, many of them did not even undergo the proper process.
“Lumabas na maraming mga proyekto na pumapasok sa ancestral domain na hindi dumaan sa proseso. Hindi sapat ang ilang araw na tinatakdang proseso ng gobyerno para lang kunin yung consent,” Ambangan said.
This is why they have raised concerns over the revised FPIC guidelines, particularly the provision that sets a specific period for communities to reach a consensus.
Now, Pax Silica has entered the discussion with its planned data center project in Capas, Tarlac.
“Nanganganib at may pangamba kami na may overlap ito sa ancestral domains. Na basta na lang isama natin sa proyektong Pax Silica, pero itong mga komunidad na nandoon, katutubo at pamayanan ay malamang hindi nakakakuha ng impormasyon kung ano ang magiging impact sa kanilang pamayanan,” said Taqueban.
For Aeta communities, the proposed site is considered ancestral land. With the project moving forward, they now face the risk of displacement.
“Mabigat talaga siya na usapin para sa mga katutubong Aeta, na ilang beses nang nadidisplace at nareresettle at ngayon na naman may bagong panganib ng Pax Silica. Epekto nito sa kanila, kawalan ng kabuhayan. Ang mga katutubo ay mga magsasaka din naman.” Funa-ay Claver of the KATRIBU Secretary General said.
Once the data center infrastructure takes over the area, their lives will inevitably change.
Livelihood is not the only issue for there are concerns about the project's environmental effects, which, in the long run, may result in irreversible damage.
“Nakakatakot ito dahil marami nang pag-aaral sa America, sa dami ng data centers nila, andaming komunidad ang nagrereklamo, kawalan ng tubig. Ito ay sa harap pa na naglabas na ng report ang United Nations na ang buong mundo ay may krisis na sa tubig. Alam natin na itong mga data centers, at iba pa, na itatayo sa Pax Silica ay napakauhaw ng mga proyekto,” said Taqueban.
“Magi-increase ang heat levels, dudumi ang tubig, masisira yung kagubatan. Bakit nila nais dalhin yung ganyang pagkasira ng kalikasan dito sa Pilipinas?” said Claver.
As experts observed, many may not be compelled to pay attention to this issue now.
But over time, as disasters become more severe and hazardous, more people may begin to question whether the economic benefits enjoyed by some are truly worth putting the lives and welfare of the majority at risk.
EXPLAINER: Why environmental, science groups oppose proposed Pax Silica hub in PH
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