In UN expert’s visit, Ayta, residents reiterate opposition vs. Pax Silica; call to uphold Indigenous Peoples’ rights

[TAGALOG] Sa pagbisita ng UN expert, Ayta, residente muling ipinahayag ang pagtutol sa Pax Silica; nanawagan na itaguyod ang karapatan ng mga Katutubo

In August 16, 2026, Ayta from Sitio Malasa, Sitio Binyayan, Sitio Kalangitan, Sitio Baguingan, Sitio Rivera, and Sitio Coop in Tarlac City gathered to voice their collective opposition to the Pax Silica Initiative during the community visit of Dr. Pichamon Yeophantong, member of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights (UNWGBHR). The visit was facilitated by Panaghiusa Philippine Network to Uphold Indigenous Peoples’ Rights (Panaghiusa) and KATRIBU Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas as part of Dr. Yeophantong’s academic mission to the Philippines, ensuring that grassroots voices were heard in the global dialogue on business, human rights, and Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

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The community gathering included Ayta communities, local residents, volunteers, and mass organizations, alongside the UNWGBHR member. They discussed the far-reaching implications of Pax Silica and the immediate threats faced by the Indigenous Peoples in Tarlac. Among the most urgent concerns raised were the looming displacement of communities, the desecration of burial grounds in the mountains, and the intimidation tactics employed by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

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Community members revealed that BCDA has offered monetary compensation in exchange for vast tracts of farmland and ancestral lands. However, the Ayta and residents stressed that no amount of money could ever replace the loss of livelihood, homes, cultural heritage, and the totality of their way of life. The Ayta emphasized that their ancestral domain is not merely land but the foundation of their identity, spirituality, and survival.

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Participants underscored the urgent need to listen to the Indigenous Peoples and local residents. Panaghiusa firmly underscores the need to uphold the Indigenous Peoples’ right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, a principle that ensures the Indigenous Peoples have the knowledge, time, and freedom to decide on matters affecting their ancestral lands without threats, coercion, or deception. 

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Tomorrow, August 31, 2026, the Indigenous Peoples, environmental and land defenders, and human rights advocates will formally launch the Network Opposed (NO) to Pax Silica, a broad campaign to resist the project and demand accountability. This initiative seeks to unite communities and advocates in challenging the systemic violations tied to Pax Silica and in asserting the primacy of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, environmental protection, and social justice.

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Panaghiusa stands in solidarity with this campaign, reaffirming its commitment to amplify community struggles, strengthen collective resistance, and uphold the rights of the Indigenous Peoples against exploitation and dispossession. The calls of the Ayta communities in Tarlac and the Filipino people serve as a powerful reminder that genuine development must respect human dignity, cultural heritage, and the right of the Indigenous Peoples to live freely on their ancestral lands. #