Unity Statement 

The Filipino people deserve to know the truth about Pax Silica and its proposed “Economic Security Zone” (ESZ) in Capas, Tarlac.

The ESZ and future Pax Silica projects will have a lasting impact on our economy, our environment, our communities, and our country’s future. Before any more agreements are signed, we have the right to know what is being planned, to understand its consequences, and to take part in deciding whether these projects serve the national interest.

We are deeply concerned about the harm these projects could cause to our people and the environment. For one, the proposed ESZ will cover 1,620 hectares of fertile farmland and areas claimed by the Aeta community as part of their ancestral domain. Many families have already been asked by the authorities to abandon their homes, farms, and livelihoods. Pax Silica’s increased mining, mineral processing, and hyperscale AI data centers will put heavy pressure on water, energy, land, and other natural resources as well as cause unacceptable pollution of the environment. True development should improve people’s lives, not grab their lands nor destroy the very resources and communities they depend on.

We also believe that the country’s economic development should first and foremost benefit the Filipino people. Our natural resources and industries should be developed to strengthen local production, make cheap food available, and build a strong and self-reliant economy that can meet our own needs. We should not allow our country’s future to be shaped by the strategic interests or priorities of foreign corporations and governments.

We are also apprehensive that Pax Silica could pull the Philippines deeper into the escalating rivalry between the United States and China. As tensions rise in the region, our country should work for peace, dialogue, and cooperation with all nations while firmly defending our own sovereignty and national interests. The Philippines should not allow itself to become a staging ground nor a target in future wars not of our making.

Together, we commit to raise public awareness about Pax Silica, to prevent its rushed and undemocratic implementation, to oppose its negative impacts, to support affected communities, and to promote better alternatives for national development. We welcome all organizations and individuals who share these concerns while acknowledging and respecting  a diversity of views.

United by our common love for our country and our people, we will work together to protect our land, defend our rights, preserve peace, and build a future that is just, sustainable, and truly independent. 

Initial Unity Statement Signatories

1. Dr. Giovanni Tapang
   Former Dean, UP Diliman College of Science
   Chair Emeritus, Agham
2. Bishop Elorde Sambat
   Executive Director, Association of Christian Schools, Colleges, and Universities
3. Petronila Capiz-Munoz
   Aeta Chieftain, Sitio Sapang Kawayan, Capas, Tarlac
4. Bea Millan-Windorski
   Beauty Queen and Human Rights Activist
5. Danilo "Ka Daning" Ramos
   Chairperson, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas
6. Mo. Mary John Mananzan, O.S.B.
   Directress, St. Scholastica's Academy Pampanga
7. Gabriel Magtibay
   Chairperson, League of Filipino Students
8. Celine Murillo
   Filipino Environmentalist
9. Cathleen Gaea de Guzman
   National Coordinator, Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment
10. Bayang Barrios
    Filipino Musician
11. Teddy Casino
    Chairperson, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
12. Advocates for Land, Ancestral Rights, and Biodiversity (ALAB) Against Pax Silica
13. Francisco Dangla III
    Bayan Central Luzon
14. Beverly Longid
    National Convenor, KATRIBU Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas
15. Dr. Teodoro Mendoza 
    Professor, University of the Philippines Los Baños