The UP Asian Center will be hosting the online forum, "Pax Silica in the Philippines: What's at stake?" on 7 September 2026, 2 PM, PHT, online via Zoom. The event is free and open to the public, but signing up for a (free) Zoom account is required.
ABOUT THE FORUM
In the recent State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 27 July 2026, President Marcos mentioned, in passing, the “US-led Pax Silica initiative,” which he believed would boost the country’s economic and industrial competitiveness. Even before this acknowledgment by the administration, several academic, civil society, and political organizations have expressed concerns regarding its effects on the environment, agriculture, prices of basic commodities such as water and electricity, indigenous peoples, and other minority groups, especially amidst the ongoing energy crisis, inflation, and environmental issues. With the upcoming signing of the agreement in November 2026, various communities and organizations highlight the multisectoral application of the issue that now beckons the public to consider the potential effects of establishing the new AI and microchip facility. This roundtable discussion brings together scholars, policy-makers, and stakeholders to disentangle the complex, multifaceted issues surrounding Pax Silica. What is it exactly about? How is the “initiative” related to Philippine national interests? What are the broader economic, geopolitical, social, and other consequences of this project?
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
The Hardware Requirements of AI
EUGENE REX JALAO, Ph.D.
Professor, UP Department of Industrial Engineering
Dr. Eugene Rex L. Jalao is a Professor of Analytics and Industrial Engineering at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research and at the AI Program of the College of Engineering. He specializes in Decision Support Systems, Business Analytics Solutions, Data Mining, Optimization and Systems Simulation. He obtained his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Arizona State University (ASU) in May 2013. Additionally, he obtained his Masters of Science in Industrial Engineering degree as well as his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2009 and 2007 respectively. His fifteen years of work and research experience are in the fields of business analytics both here in the Philippines and in the United States of America, specifically in the Banking, FMCG, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Healthcare, Telecommunications and Information Technology industries. He is also a certified SAP ERP Materials Management consultant, a Matlab computing associate, a Certified NVIDIA Deep Learning Instructor and an advocate of the R and Python Programming languages.
A Critical Look at Pax Silica
NICETO POBLADOR, Ph.D.
Retired Professor, UP School of Economics
Dr. Niceto S. Poblador is a retired Professor of Economics and Management at the University of the Philippines and currently serves as a Professorial Lecturer at the UP Diliman Extension Programs in Pampanga and Olongapo. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and has had a distinguished academic career spanning economics, management, business policy, and public administration. His research and scholarly work examine organizational strategy, institutional and social change, business ethics, corporate responsibility, and inclusive economic development. He has published extensively on these subjects, including studies on bureaucratic efficiency, stakeholder theory, corporate responsibility, and strategic management, and has contributed to policy discussions on Philippine economic development and the role of business in society. More recently, his work has focused on inclusive business, sustainable development, and economic policy, including analyses of Philippine development strategies and the country's electric power sector.
An Overview of Pax Silica
KEVIN BAUTISTA
MA Asian Studies, UP Asian Center
Kevin Bautista is a graduate student of MA in Asian Studies at the Asian Center of the University of the Philippines in Diliman. His research interests lie at the intersection of political economy, urban studies, and area studies, with a regional focus on Indonesia and the Philippines. His current thesis project examines the state-corporate relations in the construction of new smart cities of Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN) in Indonesia and New Clark City (NCC) in the Philippines.
The Case of Pax Silica in Kazakhstan and the Philippines: What is the difference?
ALIYA S. PELEO, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, UP Asian Center
Dr. Aliya S. Peleo earned her Ph.D. at the Institute of China and Asia-Pacific Studies, National Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. She has an MA in International Development from the Graduate School of International Relations at the International University of Japan in Niigata, Japan. She has worked on a number of development projects in Central Asia with UNESCO, the Peace Corps/Kazakhstan, USAID, and ADB. She has also taught economics and management at the KIMEP University, International Academy of Business, and Suleyman Demirel University in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
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