Malacañang has assured the public that the proposed Philippines-United States Pax Silica Economic Security Zone will comply with strict environmental and water resource safeguards, amid concerns over its potential impact on host communities.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after concerns surfaced online that the proposed project could strain local water resources, damage the environment, displace farming communities, increase foreign control over the country's critical mineral resources, and draw the Philippines deeper into the strategic rivalry between the United States and China.

In a press briefing on Monday, July 20, Castro said President Marcos has directed that the project be implemented in accordance with the law while ensuring the protection of the environment and the welfare of affected communities.

Responding to concerns raised online, Castro cited the National Water Resources Board's (NWRB) assessment that available water sources within the project area are sufficient to meet the project's requirements without affecting the supply for nearby communities.

"We would like to confirm that the available water sources within the project area are sufficient to meet the total water demand of the proposed project without adversely affecting the local water supply," the NWRB said in a statement read by Castro during the Palace briefing.

She added that the NWRB, in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), will oversee water allocation to ensure the project's sustainable and environmentally responsible use of water resources.

Castro also said the DENR would require an environmental impact statement and an environmental management plan, while the Environmental Management Bureau and Multipartite Monitoring Teams would regularly monitor the project to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

The proposed Pax Silica Economic Security Zone is a planned Philippine-United States initiative aimed at developing a strategic minerals and advanced manufacturing hub to support emerging technologies, investments, infrastructure development, and job creation.

The project has drawn scrutiny from some groups and social media users over its potential environmental and social impacts, as well as its implications for national security and Philippine sovereignty.

In a recent post on X after visiting the proposed project site, U.S. Ambassador Lee Lipton described Pax Silica as "the FUTURE of U.S.-Philippine partnership," calling it "an exciting project that will create endless jobs through emerging technologies, investment, and infrastructure."

Castro, meanwhile, dismissed concerns that the project could result in foreign control of the country's critical mineral resources, saying the Philippine government would ensure that the initiative remains under Philippine laws and regulations.

She recalled President Marcos' earlier statement that the country "will not surrender even a square inch of our territory to any foreign power," adding that the same principle applies to all foreign partnerships.

Castro also said the government would ensure that affected farmers would not lose their source of livelihood should displacement occur because of the project.

"Alam po natin na ang puso ng Pangulo ay nasa mga magsasaka. Iyan din po ang inuuna niya: ang mga magsasaka, dahil unang-una para sa food security (We know that the President's heart is with the farmers. They remain among his priorities because of food security),” she said.

“Kung mayroon man na madi-displace na mga farmers, sisiguraduhin po ng gobyerno na hindi po sila mawawalan ng kanilang pagkakakitaan kung iyan po ang mangyayari (If farmers are displaced, the government will ensure they will not lose their source of livelihood if that happens),” she added.

The Palace official, however, said the government has not received reports that farmers have been displaced by the proposed project.