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Science, Tech Groups Oppose Philippines-US Pax Silica Deal
A coalition of science and technology groups in the Philippines has voiced opposition to the Pax Silica agreement with the United States, citing concerns over mineral extraction impacts. The groups highlighted potential environmental harms and effects on local populations. The deal involves rare earth metals essential for high-tech manufacturing.
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A coalition of science and technology groups in the Philippines opposes the Pax Silica agreement with the United States, according to a Rappler report. The coalition, known as Scientists and Technologists Oppose the US War, includes Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, AGHAM Advocates of Science and Technology for the People, and Computer Professionals Union.
The groups relaunched the coalition, originally formed in the 2000s, to address the agreement. The coalition held a forum on April 28, 2026, where Ana Celestial, programs officer at Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, discussed the agreement's implications.
Celestial stated that the Philippines ranks third globally in gold deposits, fourth in copper, fifth in nickel, and sixth in chromite. She noted the country holds an estimated $170 billion in nickel deposits and has surveyed four types of rare earth metals: scandium, neodymium, cerium, and lanthanum, in areas including Palawan, Samar, Surigao, and Zambales.
explained that these rare earth metals are used in high-tech electronics, semiconductors, and data centers. Scandium is used in durable alloys for aerospace structures like aircraft fuselages and fuel tanks. Neodymium is used in permanent magnets for wind turbines, electric vehicles, earphones, hard drives, and phone vibration mechanisms.
Cerium is applied in polishing glass screens, camera lenses, and silicon wafers, as well as in aerospace alloys. Lanthanum is used in camera lenses and rechargeable batteries for hybrid engines. Celestial stated that these materials can also have dual uses in military equipment, such as F-35 jets, navy destroyer ships, and laser-guided missile systems.
