Philippine tribe faces displacement from Tech hub
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In the Philippines, the Aeta Hungey tribe in Tarlac province is facing potential displacement due to a US-led technology hub planned for a 1,620-hectare site in New Clark City.
The US announced the Philippines’ participation in Pax Silica, an initiative to strengthen semiconductor and rare earth element supply chains and lessen reliance on China.
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) informed approximately 1,000 Aeta people that the project may affect their land, offering them 30 pesos (US$0.48) per square metre, an offer the tribe rejected. Munoz, the tribe’s chieftain, stated they received a notice to relocate by December to an area 16km from their current home, but the BCDA has not shared a detailed plan showing which parts of their ancestral lands will be impacted.
The Aeta Hungey hold no official land title, a common situation for Indigenous groups in the Philippines, and the BCDA declined to provide a map of the project’s boundaries. Experts suggest the Philippines’ limited ties to Chinese investment could attract investors to the hub, despite concerns about the country’s water and electricity supply.
While the government projects the hub could bring US$70 billion in investment and 190,000 jobs, Munoz fears her tribe will not benefit from these opportunities and is determined to remain on their ancestral land, even if it means facing further action from developers.
