Senate President Win Gatchalian said the Senate will maintain strict oversight of the proposed Pax Silica initiative to ensure that its economic potential is pursued without compromising environmental protection, constitutional sovereignty, and the rights of local communities.

“Importante na ang Senado ay magkaroon ng oversight at masigurado na itong mga risks at mga hinaing ay matugunan natin,” Gatchalian said during a recent Senate hearing on the initiative.

He described Pax Silica as a potentially transformative opportunity for the Philippines to move beyond low-value semiconductor assembly and entry-level business process outsourcing jobs toward higher-value technology industries.

The initiative could generate up to 200,000 direct jobs and as many as 800,000 employment opportunities during its construction phase, but Gatchalian stressed that these economic gains must be balanced with strict safeguards.

He said Senate oversight would continue throughout all phases of the initiative, with particular attention to environmental concerns and the rights and interests of farmers and Indigenous Peoples.