Global Firms Eye New Clark City as AI Hub Under Luzon Economic Corridor

Business | Economics Posted on 2026-05-20 23:05:50

NEW CLARK CITY — More than 20 local and international firms are exploring investment opportunities in the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), particularly in the planned AI-driven industrial acceleration hub under the Pax Silica initiative in New Clark City.

During a visit to the site on May 18, United States Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg said several American firms have already expressed strong interest in participating in the Philippines’ emerging artificial intelligence and secure supply chain ecosystem.

Pax Silica, the US Department of State’s flagship initiative focused on artificial intelligence and resilient supply chains, recently included the Philippines as one of its partner nations. The initiative aims to strengthen allied manufacturing capabilities and develop secure industrial ecosystems in strategic regions.

Helberg said over a dozen US companies joined the delegation visit to New Clark City, including several billion-dollar firms seeking to become part of the planned industrial network.

“We are seeing strong interest from companies that want to participate in this historic initiative and help build the next generation of industrial and AI infrastructure in the region,” Helberg said.

The visit gathered representatives from the United States government, the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and other stakeholders to discuss the next phases of development for the project.

Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo also disclosed that additional firms from the United States and the Middle East are considering investments in the country, further boosting confidence in the Philippines as an emerging technology and manufacturing destination.

The proposed AI-native industrial hub will rise within a 4,000-acre development zone inside the Luzon Economic Corridor and is envisioned as a staging ground for advanced manufacturing, technology innovation, and secure global supply chains.

According to Rodolfo, existing manufacturing locators in nearby industrial regions such as Calabarzon have also shown interest in becoming part of the hub’s supply chain ecosystem.

During the event, Helberg, Rodolfo, and Joshua Bingcang formally unveiled the project marker for the proposed Pax Silica site.

Helberg said the current phase focuses on establishing long-term land agreements, infrastructure planning, and identifying priority industries that will shape the development of the hub in the coming years.

The project is also expected to maximize the Philippines’ mineral resources, including nickel, copper, chromite, and cobalt, which are considered essential to global technology and manufacturing supply chains.

Meanwhile, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority assured investors that the project will remain governed by Philippine laws, including the Investors’ Lease Act and the BCDA charter, emphasizing that the development will follow standard business regulations without special foreign exemptions.

Officials said the initiative highlights growing international confidence in the Philippines’ potential as a strategic center for AI-enabled manufacturing, innovation, and economic growth in Southeast Asia.

NPO News Team I PNA-PR

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