US Ambassador Boasts of 'Endless Jobs' From Pax Silica AI Hub Amid Social Media 'Modern Colonialism' Backlash

US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton has hailed the Pax Silica project in New Clark City as a source of 'endless jobs' for Filipinos, in a post on the US Embassy's official Facebook page. The claim has drawn criticism on social media, with several commenters calling the initiative a form of 'modern colonialism'.

The online backlash comes amid growing scrutiny of the deal, which will turn part of New Clark City in Tarlac into an artificial intelligence hub under Washington's Pax Silica initiative. Critics have raised concerns over land use, environmental impact and national sovereignty, while Philippine officials continue to highlight the project's economic potential.

What Ambassador Lipton Said In His Post

In the Facebook post, Lipton wrote that he had visited the site of the '#PaxSilica Economic Security Zone, a major focus of mine'.

He described it as 'the FUTURE of U.S.-Philippine partnership... that will create endless jobs through emerging technologies, investment, and infrastructure', using the hashtag '#SafeStrongProsperous'.

The embassy also shared the ambassador's remarks on X, reposting the statement from his official account.

Social Media Backlash And 'Modern Colonialism' Claims

The Facebook post drew strong reaction. Commenter Francis Reyfral Reyes described the project as 'modern colonialism', a phrase echoed almost word-for-word by another user, JA Gozun.

Others focused on Indigenous land rights. Commenter Jon Yanga asked whether the Free, Prior and Informed Consent of Aeta communities had been 'genuinely obtained in accordance with Philippine law'.

Several people also referenced an unverified claim that the deal grants the US a '99-year' presence with sweeping legal immunity, a figure not confirmed by any official document in the thread.

The scepticism extended beyond Facebook. A thread on r/Philippines titled 'Why are people so against pax silica personally i think it's great' drew dozens of responses questioning the project.

User Consistent_Air_3337 pointed to the 1996 Marcopper mining disaster in Marinduque, arguing that existing environmental laws had not prevented that spill and that local communities, rather than companies, bear the long-term consequences when projects go wrong.

Commenter Ill-Growth-3386 wrote that the Philippine government 'literally had to tell the foreigners that anything inhumane or illegal will be dealt with by law', referencing a claim that the US side had sought legal exemption at the site, a claim that lines up with confirmed reporting that Manila rejected a US request for diplomatic immunity at the facility.

Others questioned the jobs projections. User fartvader69420 argued that data centre and chip manufacturing roles are largely automated, limiting long-term employment once construction ends, while commenter decameron23 noted the country already experiences 'Yellow and Red Grid' power alerts during summer, questioning why supply would be prioritised for one foreign-backed project.

Commenter MoneyTruth9364 raised a further concern, warning the project could turn the Philippines into a 'frontline state' in any future US-China conflict.

What Pax Silica Actually Involves On The Ground

According to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the government has earmarked a 4,000-acre, 1,618-hectare site in New Clark City for a Pax Silica Coordination Office. The site has been designated a 'Golden Node', a term officials use for AI-native investment acceleration hubs under the wider US-led Pax Silica coalition.

Finance Secretary Frederick Go said joining Pax Silica ensures the country's 'mineral resources and strategic location are not simply supporting global industries from the margins, but are actively harnessed to build the industries of the future'. A framework agreement governing the project is reportedly being targeted for signing in November.

On the sovereignty question raised repeatedly in the comments, separate reporting has set out additional detail. The Philippines rejected a US request for diplomatic immunity at the facility, according to a report on the project's progress, even as both governments moved 'very, very quickly' to advance the hub.

Pax Silica sits within a wider US strategy to secure semiconductor and AI supply chains away from Chinese-dominated networks, placing the Philippines more firmly within Washington's economic orbit.

For many Filipinos, the issues remain close to home: land use, energy demand in a country already prone to power outages, and whether Indigenous consultation requirements are being met.

The contrast between the ambassador's positive description and the scale of public concern online highlights questions around transparency and consultation on major foreign-backed infrastructure deals, which officials are likely to face as the November framework signing approaches.