Pax Silica gains pace as United States, Philippines push AI hub

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July 11, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The United States and the Philippines are eager to move fast on building an artificial intelligence (AI) industrial hub in New Clark City under the Pax Silica initiative, that will help position the latter as a significant player in emerging technologies and create more jobs for Manila.

Finance Secretary and investment czar Frederick Go told reporters yesterday that he recently met with US Ambassador Lee Lipton to discuss the Pax Silica initiative.

“He expressed that on the economic side, the Pax Silica project is on top of the priority list of the American side,” Go said. “I think he’s very keen to make things move fast.”

He said that both sides want to advance the initiative, which is expected to create hundreds of thousands of jobs and position the country as a significant player in the technology of the future.

Last April, the Philippines joined the US-led Pax Silica initiative aimed at promoting a secure and resilient supply chain for AI and semiconductors.

As part of the initiative, the Philippines and the US are developing the AI industrial hub in New Clark City.

Go said he is hopeful that the framework deal for the AI industrial hub would be signed within the year.

“We’re hopeful to try to do this as fast as we can,” he said.

He said the Pax Silica AI industrial hub could be a generational type of project for the country.

“We can really change our outlook,” Go said.

He said the AI hub would be a good start for the country as it aims to be a significant player in the AI industry.

“We need to start somewhere. This is really a great start because now, once you have the ecosystem, one thing leads to another,” Go said.

He said that the initiative is also expected to create jobs for Filipinos so they will no longer need to go overseas.

Earlier, Go said that electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn is poised to become the anchor locator of the AI hub in New Clark City.

He said that if Foxconn proceeds and locates in the AI hub, it is expected to make a multbillion-dollar investment and generate thousands of jobs.