Pax Silica follows a pattern in which developing countries bear the environmental and social costs of technologies that largely benefit wealthier economies.

CABUYAO CITY, Laguna — Engineers and information technology professionals critical of the proposed Pax Silica data center and artificial intelligence (AI) hub said that the Marcos Jr. administration is making promises that fail to address the project’s social and environmental impact.

In a statement released on Aug. 4, Pro-people Engineers and Leaders (PROPEL) and the Computer Professionals’ Union (CPU) disputed recent remarks by Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda defending the controversial project planned for New Clark City.

The groups said that government agencies have repeatedly introduced “technofixes” in response to concerns over water use, energy demand, and land conversion. They stressed that these measures only reveal the project’s weak planning and foreign-oriented character.

“It’s clear that in the face of the consistent opposition to the Pax Silica project, the different departments of the administration are throwing one technofix after another that will supposedly solve all the problems related to the project,” the groups said in a statement. “At best, it reveals how poorly conceived the project is from the beginning; at worst, it exposes the lengths at which the Marcos Jr. administration is willing to go just to cater to the economic agenda of another country.”

Water demand questioned

PROPEL challenged government assurances that advanced cooling technologies could minimize water use in the proposed AI facilities.

The group observed that some hyperscale data centers abroad have promoted closed-loop cooling systems that recycle water but stressed that such systems require large amounts of electricity. Desalination, another option reportedly being considered, would also consume substantial energy and require additional infrastructure along the Zambales coast or Manila Bay.

Engineers warned that cooling requirements in the Philippines could be significantly higher than in temperate countries because of tropical heat, with temperatures reaching 40°C in some areas.

“With all the lack of transparency behind the project, and all the sudden promises that they can address the water problem, we can only expect what communities in the US are already experiencing around data centers, unusable tap water, water shortages, and other disruptions,” the statement said.

The warning echoes growing international criticism of large AI facilities which have been linked to heavy water consumption and local resource conflicts in several parts of the United States.

Electricity needs could expand land conversion

The groups also questioned the projected electricity demand, citing BCDA estimates of three to five gigawatts.

According to PROPEL, meeting such demand through solar power could require thousands of additional hectares of land. The statement also raised concerns over the possible use of off-grid fossil fuel plants and generators, practices already documented in some overseas data center complexes.

The engineers said that government discussions of nuclear energy as a possible long-term power source introduce further technical, financial, and social issues that have not been publicly debated.

“The massive projected demand for electricity will only lead to even more land being ceded to the project,” the group said.

AI facilities unlike existing Philippine data centers

CPU said that government comparisons with existing local data centers are misleading because Pax Silica is designed primarily for AI development and training, requiring far greater computing power.

CPU chairperson Ian Aragoza said that newer Philippine hyperscale facilities consume less than 100 megawatts each, while the DICT itself has projected at least 400 megawatts of data center consumption in New Clark City.

“This means we can’t simply rely on old studies and past experiences,” the statement said. “Pax Silica is trying to introduce something new altogether.”

The group said AI-focused facilities differ substantially from conventional cloud and enterprise data centers, making previous impact assessments insufficient.

 ‘Imported burdens’

The groups said that Pax Silica follows a pattern in which developing countries bear the environmental and social costs of technologies that largely benefit wealthier economies.

“This is what an irresponsible, foreign-oriented project like Pax Silica brings, social and environmental burdens that other countries avoid while Filipinos bear the consequences,” the statement said.

The criticism adds to growing opposition from environmental advocates, community organizations, and technology workers who have demanded greater transparency on the project’s financing, resource requirements, and long-term impacts. As of Tuesday, government agencies have not publicly responded to the statement issued by PROPEL and CPU.

The organizations said that the debate on Pax Silica is not only about investment or technological competitiveness but also about who will shoulder the costs of development. They warned that communities in Central Luzon could face water depletion, higher electricity demand, pollution, and land conversion while the promised economic benefits remain uncertain.

They called on the government to release technical studies, environmental assessments, resource projections, and financing details before making further commitments. The groups also urged authorities to hold public consultations with local residents, farmers, workers, scientists, and independent technology experts. (DAA)