Philippines races to build US-backed Pax Silica hub before political shifts

The Philippines is accelerating the Pax Silica initiative, a US-backed plan to establish a critical minerals and semiconductor manufacturing hub, aiming to complete it before the 2028 Manila and Washington political transitions. The project's future hinges on continuity of US support, which could be reversed by a change in administration. This matters because it tests the durability of US supply-chain diversification strategy and the Philippines' role in it.