MANILA, Philippines — In response to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s Pax Silica and AI programs, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno called for responsible research before investing fully.
A few minutes after Marcos delivered his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, Diokno on X promoted the need for careful research on generative AI investments and Pax Silica.
An AI data center named, VITRO Sta. Rosa, under Converge ICT Solutions in Angeles City Pampanga, was inaugurated three days ago by Marcos himself, sparking an online backlash from netizens.
Meanwhile, on the controversial Pax Silica, Diokno cited the need to "first consult the local public and community and carefully study its effects on the environment and make the prices of water and electricity not rise.”
Pax Silica is said to be built on a 1,600-hectare area of high-tech industrial and economic security center in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
According to research, Pax Silica is a "United States-led international initiative focused on securing supply chains for advanced technologies such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI) and rare earth elements. The initiative implicitly targets reducing reliance on China and countering its dominance in these fields."
