The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said it will formally invite some of the world’s largest technology and semiconductor companies to establish operations within the planned Pax Silica hub in New Clark City, Tarlac, once the site’s supporting infrastructure is in place.
BCDA president and CEO Joshua Bingcang named Apple, Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., MediaTek, United Microelectronics Corp., Qualcomm, AMD and Broadcom as companies on the agency’s list of target locators. He made the statement Monday at a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.
“We are going to invite them once the ecosystem is available,” Bingcang said. “Once the agreement is signed, we’re going to court them together with our private sector partners.”
The Pax Silica hub spans 1,619 hectares and is being developed as part of a broader “technology corridor” the Philippine government is building across multiple regions. BCDA is currently negotiating a master agreement with United States counterparts for the site and could begin development as early as 2027 if a November signing target is met. Bingcang said full buildout of the hub could take up to 30 years, with the first locators expected to arrive within three to five years.
Beyond attracting foreign manufacturers, Bingcang said BCDA’s longer-term goal is for the Philippines to develop its own semiconductor brand rather than remain solely a host site for foreign firms. “One day, we want to have our own brand. The Philippines should have its own brand,” he said. “We should not just be buyers, but producers of these companies.”
BCDA is also in preliminary talks with three other countries on similar, smaller-scale industrial developments in New Clark City. South Korea has proposed leasing at least 250 hectares in the area, Singapore is seeking a 300-hectare site, and Taiwan has also indicated plans to lease land there. Bingcang said the area was master-planned from the start for advanced manufacturing and industrial use. “We want to assure that we’re not just limiting the option to one country,” he said. “There are other opportunities.”
The Pax Silica hub is envisioned as the first component of the Philippines’ planned technology corridor. Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo has identified Muntinlupa as a potential site for a follow-on integrated circuit design hub in Metro Manila, citing the presence of academic institutions and industry in the area. The corridor also includes a proposed minerals-sourcing hub in Mindanao and a targeted site in Batangas for artificial intelligence compute data centers and other digital infrastructure.
Separately, the state-run Aurora Pacific Economic Corridor has proposed a “Pax Pacifica” initiative, under which its Casiguran site would serve as a Pacific-facing hub for subsea cables, digital trade, edge infrastructure and logistics. The government also plans to establish the country’s first wafer laboratory in Bulacan to help attract semiconductor foundry investment.
BCDA has previously said the Pax Silica hub could generate ₱180 billion in government income and create 190,000 jobs.
