Malacañang on Wednesday assured that farmers and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) would not be neglected or displaced by the proposed Pax Silica initiative in New Clark City, as the government prepares to finalize its legal framework.Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the project’s facilities would be constructed within designated buildable zones to avoid affecting local communities.She added that residents who may be displaced would be provided with relocation sites and financial assistance.According to Castro, the 3,500-hectare buildable zone includes the proposed project site, while approximately 6,000 hectares have been reserved for green spaces, forest reserves, and agricultural areas.
The initiative has faced criticism from farmers, IP, and environmental groups over concerns about possible displacement of Aeta communities, threats to ancestral lands, and the project’s potential impact on local water, electricity, and natural resources.Meanwhile, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said there is no confirmed date yet for the signing of the project’s legal framework, which was initially targeted for November.
