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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Makabayan tells PBBM: Ammunition depot will turn Philippines into a 'target'

Makabayan tells PBBM: Ammunition depot will turn Philippines into a 'target'

Published Mar 22, 2026 05:28 pm

At A Glance

  • The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives is imploring President Marcos to reject proposals for the construction of a United States (US)-backed ammunition factory in the Philippines.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (Facebook)
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (Facebook)


The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives is imploring President Marcos to reject proposals for the construction of a United States (US)-backed ammunition factory in the Philippines.
According to the militant congressmen, such facility would only drag the Philippines into the line of fire from enemies of Washington.
"We, the Makabayan bloc, oppose the reported plan under the US-led Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR) to explore building an ammunition loading, assembly, and packaging facility in the Philippines, alongside missile motor and drone manufacturing cooperation across the region," the group said in a statement Sunday, March 22.
"This is not 'industrial resilience' for Filipinos; this is war industry integration for US strategic needs. Hindi ito pag-unlad—pagiging kasabwat ito sa gera (This isn't process--this is being an accomplice to war)," said Makabayan solons ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co.
The trio made its appeal even as Filipinos grappled with runaway pump fuel prices as a result of the ongoing Middle East war that the US had a hand in.
"At a time when US war operations are devastating the Middle East and widening instability, the Philippines must not be turned into a logistical extension of US warmongering," the Makabayan said.
The bloc said that any move to host ammunition production lines for weapons used by aircraft and armored vehicles was a "direct material support for militarism and aggression, while also making our territory more exposed to retaliation, sabotage, accidents, and escalation".
"Ginagawa tayong target. Ginagawa tayong bodega ng bala (They're turning us into a target. They're turning us into an ammunition depot)," it said.
Tinio, Elago, and Co said the reject the attempt to normalize arms manufacturing as an acceptable economic program.
"Weapons production is not neutral industry: it is built on profiteering from conflict and it funnels public policy toward militarization," they noted.
"In the context of ongoing price shocks, inflation, and social service shortfalls, it is obscene to retool parts of our economy for bullets while Filipinos struggle with soaring fuel, electricity, transport, and food costs. Bala ang inaalok habang gutom ang mamamayan (They're offering bullets to the hungry masses)," they said.
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