A resident points at construction activity in Capas, Tarlac, the site of the planned Pax Silica Hub project. Raphael Bosano, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Anger and uncertainty have gripped hundreds of indigenous Aeta families in Barangay O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac. This, after learning that the proposed Pax Silica Hub in New Clark City could affect the farmlands and ancestral lands they have called home for generations.
For residents, the issue goes beyond compensation or development. It is about protecting the land that has sustained their families for decades and a legacy they hope to pass on to their children and grandchildren.
Among those pleading to be heard is Nenita Victoria, a mother of 11, who fears her family could be displaced from the only home they have ever known.
"Dahil ba kulang kami sa pera, kulang kami sa pinagaralan, gaganyan-ganiyanin po nila kami? Hindi po pwede yun! Maawa naman po kayo!”
(Is it because we have less money, have had less education, that you treat us this way? This can't be. Have mercy on us!)
‘Sana hindi sila mang-mang sa Pax Silica': Malacanang urges petitioners to be better informed
Victoria said she worries about how her large family would survive if they are forced to leave the land that has provided them with food, livelihood and shelter.
Her anxiety is shared by many residents of Sitio Manabayukan, where most families belong to the indigenous Aeta community. Their lands were inherited from their ancestors, they say, making them more than just property but also a vital part of their identity, history and culture.
Older residents say they had always hoped to pass these lands on to future generations. Now, they fear that dream may soon disappear.
"Dito na pinanganak ang mga apo namin, dito na rin dapat tatanda. Hindi dapat agawain ang lupa namin eh. Kaya presidente kung may puso ka, huwag mong agawin ang aming lupang ninuno," said resident Nora Sibal in an appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
(Our grandchildren were born here and should get to grow old here. They should not take our land. So, Mr. President, if you have a heart, don't take away our ancestral land.)
Rosalinda David — a resident of Sitio Binyayan in Brgy O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac — is emotional over the impending loss of her small rice field. She says it is among the pieces of land that will be affected by the construction of the Pax Silica Hub.
RESIDENTS QUESTION CONSULTATION, COMPENSATION
Residents said they were told that the Bases Conversion and Development Authority would offer P300,000 per hectare to affected farmers and landholders.
Compensation will reportedly be capped at five hectares, or a maximum of P1.5 million.
For many families, money cannot replace ancestral land that has been in their communities for generations.
Barangay officials also raised what they described as a lack of consultation, saying BCDA representatives spoke directly with farmers without coordinating with the local government.
Barangay O’Donnell’s chairman Wendell Mercado said residents have been losing sleep as uncertainty grows.
Many residents, he said, are also worried about losing their livelihoods, with many repeatedly asking him about their homes and where they will be forced to go.
"Sana naman na bigyan po kami kahit konting respeto dito sa barangay,” he said of the BCDA.
(I wish they had given the barangay even just a little respect.)
Raphael Bosano, ABS-CBN News
FEW DETAILS ON PROJECTS
While surveying the area, the ABS-CBN News team found heavy equipment already positioned in Sitio Galo for the construction of what project documents describe as a deep well or pumping station.
A tarpaulin posted in the area lists the BCDA as the implementing agency of the P62-million project.
The project has heightened fears among farmers who depend on streams and groundwater to irrigate their crops.
For farmer Jeffery Petchalin, extracting groundwater could deprive nearby communities of the water they rely on.
"IDi na namin magagamit yung sapa, mahihigop na niya po. Diyan tayo po nabubuhay sa tubig. Kung walang tubig, paano po tayo?”
(We will not be able to get water from the nearby stream. That is what keeps us alive. Without water, what will happen to us?)
Capas Mayor Roseller Rodriguez admitted he was unaware of the deep well project in Sitio Galo.
He said the BCDA invited him, the vice mayor and members of the municipal council to a meeting in June to discuss upcoming projects in New Clark City.
While the Pax Silica Hub was mentioned, he said very few details were provided. He said BCDA just mentioned the US-led initiative "as among the incoming projects [in] New Clark City."
Rodriguez said it is possible that several infrastructure projects, including a proposed solar farm, water extraction facilities and a waste-to-energy plant, could be connected to the Pax Silica Hub.
"But again, I could only surmise,” he said.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ON AI
Apart from the threat of displacement, residents and local officials are also raising concerns over the potential environmental impact of large-scale AI and data center infrastructure.
Modern AI data centers require enormous amounts of electricity and water to operate and cool thousands of computer servers.
Experts warn these facilities can place heavy pressure on local power grids and water resources, particularly in agricultural communities that rely on groundwater.
A recent study by Arizona State University found that a single data center can produce more waste heat than 40,000 households would.
The study also found that air released from air-cooled condenser arrays can be 14 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than surrounding temperatures, creating thermal plumes that may spread into neighboring communities.
These findings reinforce fears that intensive water extraction and large-scale infrastructure could affect both agriculture and the surrounding environment.
EXPLAINER: Why environmental, science groups oppose proposed Pax Silica hub in PH
LGU TO SEEK PAUSE
Citing unanswered questions and the project's potential environmental impacts, the Capas local government plans to submit a position paper to President Marcos and the BCDA seeking a moratorium on the Pax Silica Hub.
Rodriguez said more consultations and greater transparency are needed before irreversible decisions are made.
"Huwag munang gumawa ng anything irreversible na initiative towards the implementation of this project," he said.
(Let's not do anything irreversible yet towards the implementation of this project.)
He said it would be more difficult to change course once formal signing for Pax Silica happens, potentially by November.
As construction-related activities start in parts of Barangay O'Donnell, uncertainty continues to weigh heavily on indigenous families and farmers who fear that what they stand to lose cannot simply be measured by any amount of money.