Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. during a courtesy call from US Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson at the Department of National Defense on July 12, 2023. Pinky Rose A. Fernandez, DND DCOMMS handout/File

Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. during a courtesy call from US Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson at the Department of National Defense on July 12, 2023. Pinky Rose A. Fernandez, DND DCOMMS handout

Article (news)

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177700974376620230714-carlson-maryka-courtesy-call-teodor-gibo-ho-4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. during a courtesy call from US Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson at the Department of National Defense on July 12, 2023. Pinky Rose A. Fernandez, DND DCOMMS <em>handout/File </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Thursday defended the proposed United States-led “Pax Silica” initiative from claims that it is related to war.</p><p>Instead, he described it as a key step to strengthening the country’s economic resilience and industrial base.</p><p>“It is definitely not a war-driven imposition. It is a resilience imposition. Kung pag-aaralan natin ang Pax Silica na iyan, it is a manufacturing and high-technology endeavor, so kung saan nakukuha yung idea na war-driven imposition, kalokohan ‘yan,” Teodoro told reporters in an ambush interview.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/4/17/ph-us-to-build-economic-security-zone-in-luzon-1013">Philippines, US to build &#x27;economic security zone&#x27; in Luzon<br/></a></div><p>Earlier reports said that through Pax Silica, Manila and Washington will establish an industrial hub in the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), designated as an Economic Security Zone, to serve as the “first AI-native industrial acceleration hub.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>TEODORO: PAX SILICA TO BRING DEVELOPMENT</strong></div><p>That hub is part of a <a href="https://www.state.gov/pax-silica">US State Department initiative</a> &quot;to build a secure, resilient, innovation-driven technology ecosystem&quot; and &quot;reduce coercive dependencies.&quot;</p><p>Other signatories to Pax Silica are Australia, Finland, Greece, India, Israel, Japan, Qatar, South Korea, Singapore, Sweden, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/12/12/us-launches-pact-for-ai-supply-chains-to-face-china-1516">US launches pact for AI supply chains to face China<br/></a></div><p>Teodoro said Pax Silica in the Philippines focuses on manufacturing and high-technology development, particularly by using the country&#x27;s rich supply of critical minerals.</p><p>The goal is to help the country take part in the global manufacturing chain, which he said the Philippines has been &quot;trying to jumpstart but have not sustained long term.&quot;</p><p>The defense chief also pointed out that many projects in the past failed to move forward due to opposition to responsible mining, despite the country having abundant natural resources.</p><p>“Ang dami nating raw materials dito—critical minerals—kaso sa maraming magagandang ideya dito, hindi natutuloy dahil may mga environmentalist na hindi naman maka-siyensiya, kaya umiiral ang small-scale mining dahil tinututulan ang responsible mining,” Teodoro, a former mining executive, said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/4/23/20-chinese-nationals-arrested-suspected-illegal-mining-discovered-in-davao-region-1714">20 Chinese arrested; suspected illegal mining discovered in Davao region<br/></a></div><p>He added that the initiative could help reduce the Philippines’ dependence on imported goods by strengthening local industries.</p><p>“As far as I know, wala pa namang firm documents ito. It is an expression of interest only and the country still has to thresh it out,” Teodoro said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>US STATE DEPARTMENT: PAX SILICA TO BENEFIT BOTH COUNTRIES</strong></div><p>In April 16 remarks on the Philippines joining Pax Silica, State Department Undersecretary Jacob Helberg said the initiative is meant to address a &quot;structural vulnerability&quot; of having a large majority of rare earth processing, lithium-ion battery production, and semiconductor packaging being &quot;controlled by a single country that is not our ally.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/1/7/us-adds-tencent-catl-to-list-of-chinese-military-companies-1006">US adds Tencent, CATL to list of &#x27;Chinese military companies&#x27;</a></div><p>He added the agreement between the Philippines and the US would benefit both countries.</p><p>He said the US would secure American supply chains by &quot;helping to ensure that the materials American industry depends on come from a trusted ally, not from a country that can weaponize our dependence&quot; while bringing the Philippines foreign investment and capital.<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/06/06/19/china-rare-earth-prices-soar-on-their-potential-role-in-trade-war"></a></p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/06/06/19/china-rare-earth-prices-soar-on-their-potential-role-in-trade-war">China rare earth prices soar on their potential role in trade war</a></div><p>&quot;It will mean that the Philippines’ extraordinary natural endowments—its nickel, copper, chromite, and cobalt—are developed in a way that creates lasting value for the Philippines, not extracted for someone else’s benefit. And it will mean the Philippines strengthens its own supply chain security,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Thursday defended the proposed United States-led “Pax Silica” initiative from claims that it is related to war. Instead, he described it as a key step to strengthening the country’s economic resilience and industrial base.</p>

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Thursday defended the proposed United States-led “Pax Silica” initiative from claims that it is related to war. Instead, he described it as a key step to strengthening the country’s economic resilience and industrial base.

US-led Pax Silica for resilience, industrialization not war – Teodoro

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US-led Pax Silica for resilience, industrialization not war – Teodoro

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 24, 2026 01:55 PM PHT

Read More:

Pax Silica

United States

Gilberto Teodoro Jr.

Luzon Economic Corridor

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