Pax Silica Framework Anchors Multi-Billion-Dollar High-Tech Manufacturing Node at New Clark City
BCDA allocates 1,600-hectare site in Capas, Tarlac to anchor US-backed semiconductor and AI hardware supply chains across the Luzon Economic Corridor
(PHILIPPINES) The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), aligning with the US-led multilateral Pax Silica framework, is advancing plans for the Pax Silica Industrial Hub at New Clark City (NCC). Spanning 1,600 hectares (~4,000 acres) within the master-planned metropolis, the hub aims to transition the Philippine electronics sector from assembly, testing, and packaging (ATP) toward high-margin front-end wafer fabrication, critical mineral refining, and hardware production for global artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Conceived as a flagship node along the trilateral Luzon Economic Corridor linking Subic, Clark, Manila, and Batangas, the estate represents an estimated USD 40 billion to USD 70 billion investment pipeline. Structured under long-term industrial ground leases to retain state land ownership, the development offers global chipmakers and institutional operators a build-to-suit industrial ecosystem.
Concept
• Value-Chain Escalation: Upgrades domestic manufacturing into wafer fabrication, advanced chiplet packaging, silicon photonics, and critical mineral refining for next-generation computing hardware.
• Allied Industrial Ecosystem: Designated as the first "Golden Node" under the Pax Silica initiative, integrating automated fabrication plants with secure physical and cyber networks to protect intellectual property across partner jurisdictions.
• Dedicated Hardware Manufacturing: Operates as an advanced materials and hardware fabrication park rather than a high-load hyperscale data center, directing utility capacities straight to manufacturing lines.
• Integrated R&D Pipeline: Links industrial zones with national academic institutions—including the University of the Philippines NCC extension campus and the Philippine Science High School Infinitum Center—to build a local microelectronics talent base.
Location
• Corridor Connectivity: Situated in Capas, Tarlac, within Central Luzon's logistics corridor, offering freight access to Subic Bay Seaport and Manila's container terminals.
• Air-Cargo Proximity: Located near Clark International Airport (CRK) for rapid transport of time-sensitive semiconductor components and finished chips.
• Expressway and Rail Access: Directly connects to the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), with planned links to the North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR) freight network.
• Geodetic Stability: Elevated inland terrain provides flood resilience and ground stability essential for vibration-sensitive photolithography equipment.
Key Features
• High-Capacity Process Water: Delivers an estimated 130 million liters per day (MLD) through dedicated surface-water catchment infrastructure, backed by a phased wastewater recycling program targeting zero liquid discharge.
• Dedicated Power Microgrid: Backed by an initial 500 MW utility-scale solar installation and dedicated gas-fired peaking support to ensure uninterrupted tier-4 industrial power.
• Digital Infrastructure: Supported by dedicated low-Earth-orbit satellite links and domestic fiber loops for secure, low-latency industrial automation.
• Incentive Framework: Benefits from special economic zone status under the CREATE Act, offering expedited customs processing for manufacturing equipment and zero-tariff raw material transit.
Project
Pax Silica Industrial Hub (New Clark City "Golden Node")
Developer
Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) & Pax Silica consortium partners
Architect
Master planned under BCDA Smart City Master Plan guidelines
Location
New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac, Central Luzon, Philippines
Height
Low to Mid-Rise (1–6 stories; fabrication plants and cleanrooms under 30 meter envelopes)
Site Area
1,600 to 1,619 hectares
Site Coverage
60% Maximum Allowable Construction Area and 40% dedicated green buffers and utility corridors
Status
Site allocation completed, utility planning and parcel engineering underway
Expected Completion
Phase 1 horizontal works by year 2028–2029 and full multi-phase buildout targeted through 2035+
(Reported by BuildMartASEAN)