The mayor of Capas, Tarlac appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to address the growing concerns surrounding the proposed Pax Silica hub in New Clark City, urging proper consultation with the host municipality and affected communities before proceeding with the development. 

In a letter dated August 10, Mayor Roseller Rodriguez asked the President to direct the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and other concerned agencies to comply with the consultation and other statutory requirements applicable to the project.

The appeal comes as questions over the project’s engagement with local stakeholders have intensified.

Rodriguez further cited Sections 26 and 27 of the Local Government Code of 1991, which provide for consultation with affected local government units and stakeholders for projects that may have environmental and other significant impacts. He also pointed to the requirement for prior approval of the concerned Sangguniang Bayan, insofar as the provision applies to the proposed project.

Further, he asked the national government to facilitate comprehensive consultations involving the Capas municipal government, the Sangguniang Bayan, affected barangays and residents, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organizations, nongovernmental organizations and other stakeholders.

The mayor also sought the disclosure of key information about Pax Silica, including its technical specifications, environmental and social impact assessments, projected water and energy requirements, proposed mitigation measures, and other studies necessary for informed public participation.

“We firmly believe that meaningful consultation, transparency, and respect for local autonomy are indispensable in fostering public trust and ensuring that national development initiatives proceed in a manner consistent with law and the public interest,” the letter concluded.

On August 14, during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, Rodriguez reiterated that Capas had not been given a consultation on Pax Silica. 

“Wala po nangyaring consultation. Ang nangyari lang po, June 22, iniinvite po kami for a meeting without specifying ano po yung agenda,” he stated.

“In passing, nabanggit po yung Pax Silica, without any details. Basta nabanggit lang po na this is a technological hub or something. And then pumutok na po yung sa news about Pax Silica,” the mayor added, emphasizing the need for a public consultation with all affected stakeholders.

The request for presidential intervention comes amid separate concerns raised by Indigenous People (IP) in the area.

Sapang Kawayan chieftain Petroniza Capriz-Muñoz said the community has about 1,000 Indigenous residents and expressed concern over possible displacement, while BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang said the project would not be built on land but acknowledged the presence of households in the area. 

“Mahigit po kami na 1,000 talaga, so ang lahat-lahat po, ang census namin talaga duoon sa Sapang Kawayan, nasa 1,000 po kami,” Capriz-Muñoz said.

The figures cited by government agencies also differed, with Bingcang mentioning an earlier estimate of 14 households that may have grown to around 30, while National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Secretary Nancy Catamco said the agency’s estimate was 75 households.

Rodriguez said the discrepancy could partly be explained by scattered homes used by Indigenous families during planting seasons and noted that some of the BCDA’s figures were based on data from 2013.

Bingcang said the BCDA would conduct an inventory of people and properties in the area. He also acknowledged that discussions concerning burial grounds had not yet reached the affected community.

The BCDA said a consultation that had previously been planned was canceled and that another consultation is scheduled for August 19, with a separate meeting involving governors and mayors in Central Luzon set for August 26.

Meanwhile, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, who questioned the pace of stakeholder engagement, urged the BCDA to move faster in consulting communities that could be affected by the project.

Rodriguez, for his part, maintained that Capas is not closing its doors to the proposed development.

Earlier, the Philippines formally joined the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative on April 16, alongside plans to establish a 4,000-acre Economic Security Zone in New Clark City.