Progressive groups and lawmakers in the Philippines have criticized Manila’s entry into a United States-led “Pax Silica” initiative, warning that the agreement to build a 1,620-hectare Luzon Economic Corridor for semiconductors and critical minerals risks integrating the country deeper into US strategic supply-chain and military-industrial priorities under the guise of economic development.

Under the deal signed on April 16, the government became the 13th signatory to the initiative, which aims to secure global technology supply chains in semiconductors, electronics, and critical minerals through “trusted ally” networks led by the US. No public record exists detailing which other countries have joined the initiative.

Critics argue that semiconductors are increasingly tied to modern weapons systems such as drones and missile technologies, effectively turning export infrastructure into potential “war production” capacity.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), a multi-sectoral alliance, perceived the initiative as “military requirements” rather than national development, considering the essential function of semiconductors which is one of the Philippines’ reported top export, in manufacturing military machinery.

“Semiconductors and advanced electronics are central to contemporary warfare, embedded in drones, missile systems, surveillance networks, and communications infrastructure,” the group said in a statement.

US officials, however, have framed the initiative as an economic security measure designed to reduce dependence on vulnerable global supply chains and ensure access to strategic materials. A US commerce-linked assessment cited in the agreement notes that Washington currently produces only about 10 percent of its semiconductor needs, reinforcing its push to diversify sourcing through partner countries.

Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc have called for congressional scrutiny of the agreement, warning that details of the planned industrial zones remain unclear and questioning whether facilities could be repurposed for dual-use military logistics or prepositioning infrastructure.

The initiative comes alongside broader US efforts to tighten control over semiconductor and critical mineral supply chains amid escalating global competition over technology and strategic resources.