Officials have sold a potential US-led Pax Silica hub in the Philippines as a chance for the country to move up the technology supply chain, but as domestic backlash grows, Manila’s top diplomat to America has warned of losing the opportunity if it “drops the ball”.
Analysts say Jose Manuel Romualdez’s message appeared aimed at critics but should be taken seriously, as regional rivals are also courting US-linked supply chain investment and some may be better placed to deliver.
Romualdez told local reporters on Monday that the Philippines’ strong US ties had played a role in its selection as the site of Pax Silica, a “hi-tech hub” seen as a global gateway to AI, semiconductors and critical minerals.
However, he warned that ‘there are many countries that want to be part of Pax Silica’ and said some had shown interest in hosting the hub, particularly Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.
“The concern is that [the US] would prefer to have this Pax Silica [hub] here. But if for some reason we drop the ball, other Asian countries will take over,” Romualdez said.
He also alluded to “a lot of misinformation” about the hub circulating online but did not elaborate.