The Pax Silica project in Philippines ‘re-branded

Research, Text and Photos by the T&S Editorial Team

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has recently “re-branded” the proposed 1,600-hectare Pax Silica project inside New Clark City in the Philippines, following mounting oppositions and protest rallies on its feared impact on the surrounding communities’ ecosystems, mineral resources, energy and water, and Indigenous Peoples’ welfare.

In its official website press release posted on April 20, 2026, BCDA announced that New Clark City will serve as an AI megahub centered on “artificial intelligence (AI) innovation and investments” under the US-led Pax Silica Initiative.

A few months after this announcement, a growing public clamor from environmental and human rights groups, local communities, sustainability experts, and the media prompted the Philippines Senate to conduct an inquiry on the proposed project.

On August 14, 2026, the BCDA and key officials from the Board of Investments (BOI) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) faced the Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change in a formal hearing.

During the said hearing, BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang announced that the Pax Silica AI megahub will be named the Clark Advanced Manufacturing Park (CAMP).

(References: www.bcda.gov.ph/news, public broadcast of the August 14 Senate inquiry, rappler, inquirer.net)