[Inside the Newsroom] Making sense of Pax Silica

Covering Pax Silica, the US-led technology and AI coalition that the Philippines joined in April, I knew this wasn’t simply a story about semiconductors or artificial intelligence. It was always about geopolitics — about the Philippines’ relationship with the United States, China’s growing technological influence, and who ultimately stands to benefit from the Philippine government’s AI ambitions. Groups like AGHAM and the Makabayan bloc immediately — and rightfully — raised concerns after the Philippines announced it was joining the coalition. They questioned its environmental costs, the possible displacement of communities, military implications, the promises of jobs and economic growth, and…