Fearing for ancestral land, Aetas from Capas urge Pax Silica cancellation

Citing concerns for their ancestral land, a community of Aetas is calling for a stop on the establishment of the proposed 1,600-hectare Pax Silica AI Industrial Hub in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

In a media forum at the Kamuning Bakery Cafe in Quezon City on Thursday, indigenous Aeta leaders of Sitio Sapang Kawayan appealed for the cancellation of the United States-led data center hub, citing its possible impact to indigenous peoples (IPs), agricultural lands, and the environment.

“Nakarating po kami dito sa inyo dahil ‘yung panawagan namin sa aming ancestral domain na sana ang aming pakiusap kasama namin kayo na bumuwag sa Pax Silica,” Petroniza Capriz-Muñoz, chieftain of Sitio Sapang Kawayan, told reporters.

(We’re here to fight for our ancestral domain and to call for a stop on the Pax Silica Project.)

Sitio Sapang Kawayan is a remote Aeta indigenous community located in Barangay Aranguren (Arenguren) in Capas.

“Kami po talagang mga katutubo doon ay apektado sa sinasabi nilang proyektong Pax Silica. Magsa-start po [ito] sa amin…Kaya kaming mga katutubo ang pilit na sinasabi namin kahit saan kami magpunta — ang buhay namin ay lupa. Siya ang kinabubuhay namin,” she said.

(The Aeta community is greatly affected by this project. It will start in our ancestral land and for us indigenous peoples, our lands are our lifeline. It is our livelihood.)

According to Capriz-Muños, the project would affect their ancestral land, rejecting the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA)’s previous remarks that the planned data center would be built on public land not covered by an ancestral domain title (ADT).

Capriz-Muños also turned emotional as she stood firm that their community would not leave their ancestral land, which they have been applying for an ADT since 1984.

EXPLAINER: What is Pax Silica and why are people worried?

“Kami ay nagsusumikap para magtanim sa aming sariling lupang- ninuno para ang saling-lahi namin [ay] mapag-aral namin. Ngayon, nandyan ang proyektong Pax Silica, kaya kami po naninindigan kami na hindi kami aalis dahil simula’t sapul nandun na po kami,” she added.

(We’re working hard to farm our ancestral land to send our children to school. Now, the Pax Silica project is here. We will fight for our rights because we have been there ever since.)

The Pax Silica Hub is a planned high-tech industrial zone in Tarlac, being developed as part of the Philippines’ partnership with the US. It seeks to attract investments in semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence (AI), and other advanced technology industries.

However, the project drew criticisms from progressive and environmental groups, including the Kalikasan and Makabayan bloc over its potential environmental and social impact.

The Aeta community, for its part, presented documentary evidence of their ADT application with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

“1994 pa may first endorsement na ang NCIP hanggang ngayon hindi pa lumalabas ang ADT namin,” Capriz-Muños said.

(The NCIP issued the first endorsement for the ADT in 1994 but it has yet to be approved until now.)

“Naglakad po kami, nakarating kami dito para ipasiwalat na ang amin lupa ay paninindigan namin...Bakit napahintulutan ng BCDA at NCIP ang Pax SIlica sa aming ancestral domain? Ang amin panawagan sa inyo at Presidente Bongbong Marcos — ang aming lupa ay pag-aaari namin. Hindi pag-aari ng ibang bansa,” she added.

(We walked to be here, to say that we will fight for our land. Why did the BCDA and NCIP let the project be built on our ancestral land? Our appeal to the public and PBBM — our ancestral lands is ours, it is not for foreign countries.)

Kiko calls for probe

In a statement on Thursday, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan called for a legislative inquiry into the controversial data center hub.

Pangilinan also underscored the importance of public consultation for government projects.

“Free, prior, and informed consent ng komunidad ang kailangang pairalin sa mga preparasyon, lalo na at may mga taong apektado — katutubo, magsasaka, at karaniwang taong gumagamit ng tubig,” he said.

(The free, prior, and informed consent of the communities are needed in the preparations, especially since there are people involved — IPs, farmers, and residents using water.)

“Tunay na ‘the devil is in the details.’ Sa detalye nagkakatalo. Kaya bubusisiin natin ang detalye ng Pax Silica sa isang pagdinig sa Senado. Ang interes ng karaniwang Pilipino ang lenteng gagamitin natin sa pagbubusisi. Sisiguraduhin nating panalo ang tao at panalo ang Pilipinas sa usaping ito,” Pangilinan added.

(Truly, the ‘devil is in the details’. We will investigate the details of the project in a Senate legislative inquiry through the lens of an ordinary Filipino. We will ensure to champion the rights of the public and Filipinos in this matter.) —RF, GMA News