THE Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) said the country should pursue the US-led Pax Silica project in Clark but safeguards must be in place to uphold national interest.
The MAP acknowledged that the initiative was a significant economic development opportunity for the Philippines, with the potential to boost industrial development, create high-quality jobs, draw significant investments, and improve the country's integration into global technology supply chains.
At the same time, it noted concerns expressed by different sectors over resource use, sustainability, community impact, economic sovereignty and the country's long-term strategic interests.
The MAP said the discussion should not focus on whether or not the country should embrace Pax Silica but whether agreements, frameworks and implementation strategies can be created in a way that optimizes value for Filipinos while managing economic, social, environmental and geopolitical risks.
"MAP therefore adopts the position that the Philippines should pursue Pax Silica, if it is anchored on a clear framework of national interest, shared prosperity, sustainability, and accountability," the business group said.
It said the country, which has long aimed to shift from a development model mainly dependent on exports and consumption, needed to engage more actively in higher-value economic activities. Pax Silica offers a chance to achieve this, the MAP added.
It outlined six conditions that must be protected and monitored: industrialization and value addition, measurable technology transfer, Filipino employment and leadership, environmental stewardship, community protection and inclusive growth and the preservation of national sovereignty.
The MAP recommended establishing an independent governance body composed of representatives from government, business, academe, labor, civil society and technical experts, and urged public reporting of key performance indicators.
The Philippines, it said, should approach Pax Silica as a strategic negotiation and not with blind optimism or reflexive opposition.
As this developed, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said that the Pax Silica project will use water recycling technologies amid concerns over the supply requirements of planned data centers.
Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda told reporters late on Wednesday that the water would not be wasted.
"Some data centers even have their own desalination facilities. They take saltwater, convert it into fresh water, and reuse it. In fact, they can even provide water to surrounding communities," he added.
Beyond environmental sustainability, Aguda said the Pax Silica project could generate between 180,000 and 500,000 digital and digital-related jobs once fully implemented.
He also downplayed concerns over the project's power requirements, saying existing and planned energy facilities were sufficient to meet future demand.
The DICT secretary likewise dismissed worries over land conversion, saying the areas identified for the project are not agricultural lands.
"That 1,200 hectares they mentioned, there are no farms there. I trust that the Bases Conversion and Development Authority has already mapped that out. We have laws that prohibit the conversion of agricultural land," Aguda said.
