Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said the Senate will keep a close watch on the proposed Pax Silica initiative to make sure the country gets the economic benefits without putting the environment and local communities at risk.
“Importante na ang Senado ay magkaroon ng oversight at masigurado na itong mga risks at mga hinaing ay matugunan natin,” Gatchalian said during a recent Senate hearing.
Gatchalian said the project must bring long-term economic gains while protecting the environment, national sovereignty and the rights of farmers and Indigenous Peoples.
The Pax Silica initiative is being pitched as a major opportunity for the Philippines to move from low-value semiconductor assembly and entry-level business process outsourcing jobs to higher-value technology industries.
It could generate around 200,000 direct jobs and as many as 800,000 jobs during the construction phase, according to the Senate President.
But Gatchalian said the possible economic gains should not mean ignoring concerns over the project’s environmental and social impact.
He said Senate oversight would continue throughout the different phases of the initiative to make sure the risks and concerns raised by affected communities are addressed.IMT
