The Philippines has formally joined Pax Silica, a US-led supply chain initiative, signaling its rising role as an electronics manufacturing hub in Asia, the US State Department said on April 16.
At a signing ceremony, US Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg announced plans to establish a 4,000-acre (over 1,600 hectares) Economic Security Zone in the Luzon Economic Corridor.
The proposed hub aims to secure critical inputs for US and global supply chains while anchoring advanced manufacturing investments in the region.
The site will be the first to carry the Philippines’ new “Economic Security Zone” designation, a model envisioned to attract AI-driven industries and next-generation manufacturing under the Pax Silica framework.
Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo signed the declaration formalizing the country’s participation in the initiative.
Pax Silica is designed to build a secure, innovation-led silicon ecosystem, covering critical minerals, semiconductors, energy inputs, AI infrastructure, and logistics.
The strategy reflects a broader push by the US and its partners to align economic security with technological competitiveness.
Officials said the Luzon zone is expected to accelerate production of key inputs by serving as a platform for allied manufacturing. Its development will be guided by market demand, the Philippines’ industrial strengths, and evolving requirements of partner economies.
The project will leverage the country’s strategic Indo-Pacific location, skilled workforce, and reserves of key minerals such as nickel, copper, chromite, and cobalt, while integrating global standards in governance and regulation.
Envisioned as the first in a broader network of interconnected hubs, the zone aims to strengthen supply chain resilience and reduce reliance on concentrated production centers worldwide.
The Philippines becomes the 13th Pax Silica signatory, joining a group of US allies and partners spanning Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific.
