Skip to playerSkip to main content
GMA News
In this conversation, geologist Dr. Rene Claveria weighs in on the science behind Pax Silica, the planned AI and manufacturing hub in New Clark City. While the project promises economic growth, it raises serious environmental red flags. From increased mining to the massive water and energy demands of mineral processing and data centers, how will the Philippines protect its water supply during droughts like El Niño?

Watch the full discussion to see why science must guide economic policy. How should we balance tech growth with environmental protection?

Dr. Rene Claveria’s views and opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the stand of Ateneo and his department, Environmental Science.

#GMANews #SerbisyongTotoo #BreakingNews

Watch the latest news stories from GMA Network's trusted news programs on the GMA Play app. Download now on Google Play and App Store. Also available on GMANetwork.com/GMAPlay and Android TVs!

GMA Network promotes healthy debate and conversation online. Any abusive language that does not facilitate productive discourse will be blocked from this post.

For more updates, visit this link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCpdvYcv59AgI_UbY4C1GhwFZ5CQL3N5c

For live updates and highlights, click here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCpdvYcv59AiKdYH_GDSU7sBgfc7Cd1de

Breaking news and stories from the Philippines and abroad:
GMA News Portal: http://www.gmanews.tv
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gmanew
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gmanews
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gmanews
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gmanews
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gmanews

GMA Network Kapuso programs on GMA Pinoy TV: https://gmapinoytv.com/subscribe

Category

🗞
News
Transcript
00:03So, Doc, basics muna.
00:05Kasi marami sa atin ngayon gumagamit ng AI.
00:08Nakikita lang natin yan sa screens or sa ating mga mobile phones.
00:12Baka may nagtataka, matakaw pala ang AI sa minerals.
00:18Bakit? Ano yung connection?
00:20So, it's not simple.
00:23Kasi sabi natin, silicon, di ba?
00:25Silicon ang nagsisimula yung mga computer development natin.
00:30Pero actually, hindi lang silicon.
00:32Napakadami pong minerals.
00:34And these are critical at some point na kasi kailangan na kailangan
00:38sa paggawa po ng mga AI data centers, computers, semiconductors, and a lot more.
00:47So, saan po ginagamit yung minerals and what kind of minerals?
00:51Okay. Ang tawag namin dyan ay critical.
00:56Ang definition kasi ng critical is that it is very much needed
01:02in the production of certain important materials.
01:07So, ang importante yung materials natin yan are the computers,
01:12meron din sa military, and other facilities na kailangan natin.
01:18So, ang critical minerals nila ay, it depends po kung ano yung kinakailangan.
01:25Like, I would say, for example po, copper is a critical mineral,
01:31nickel, cobalt, lithium, and also rare earth elements.
01:38Ito yung most common critical elements.
01:41Okay. So, this revolutionary technology now na ginagamit ngayon ng marami AI,
01:49all kinds of applications ng artificial intelligence.
01:54Ano pala yan?
01:56Nangangailangan ng napakarami, napakalaking data centers.
02:03Bakit?
02:03Ngayon kasi, we are evolving into so much computing and so much speed.
02:11And more likely, we need so much power to have this moving.
02:18So, actually, yung AI is an evolution from a simple data accumulation.
02:25Siya na mismo nag-iisip para sa atin.
02:27So, balikan natin yung Paxilica, dahil yung Paxilica nga,
02:30tinalakay doon sa nakaraang zona ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos.
02:35The Paxilica Industrial Hub will create an ecosystem that will have AI at its core.
02:42It will bring quality jobs to our people, accelerate our industrial competitiveness,
02:47and revitalize our economy.
02:49So, ano yung opinion nyo doon?
02:51Yeah, actually, yung information na nag-gather ko ay,
02:57ito ay isang industrial zone, sabihin na natin sa New Clark City.
03:03And apparently, one of the infrastructures to be built there,
03:08it would be the mineral processing, or the critical mineral processing.
03:15I have some comments on this kasi,
03:20Sir Howie, are you familiar with Pasar?
03:24Pasar in later.
03:25Ah, yes, yes.
03:26The smelter and refining for copper.
03:30Matagal na yan.
03:32Matagal na yan.
03:33Marcos Sr. pa yan.
03:36Actually, it is the same concept, if I look into it,
03:41that will be developed in the new Clark City.
03:45It is a refining and smeltering plant.
03:49And if you look into the environmental effect of this Pasar area,
03:55kamuntit na sila magsara eh, dahil sa environmental concerns niyan eh.
04:00They produce a lot of toxicity during the processing of smelting of copper.
04:06So, copper is a critical mineral as well.
04:08So, I am looking into this effect of Pasar and equating it to something that might happen
04:20in the mineral processing sa paksilika.
04:26There will be a lot of problems related to toxicity, pollution, and other things.
04:36Similarly with nickel.
04:38Kapag sinasabi, kasi sabi nila,
04:40hindi naman tayo magmimina ng nickel sa Clark.
04:43Sa Clark, syempre hindi tayo magmimina na.
04:46But we provide them the raw materials that they will be smelting or refining.
04:51But still, smelting and refining would produce a lot of this toxicity
04:57which actually have an effect on the environment as well as the communities surrounding it.
05:02Pero, Doc, itong sinasite nyo na Pasar,
05:06yung copper smelting na ginagawa or ginawa doon sa Leyte,
05:11nag-umpisa yan yung panahon pa ng una ang Marcos Administration,
05:15yung panahon ng martial law, di ba?
05:19So, you're telling me,
05:21baka hindi nag-improve yung technology, yung process na yan.
05:24That's like 40 years ago.
05:27So, considering the changes in technology in so many other areas,
05:35dito sa smelting na maaring gagawin dito sa Clark,
05:40maaring ganun din ang magiging effect?
05:43Maaring hindi na nag-improve yung technology para maiwasan yung worst effects niyan?
05:49Yeah, I read a few metallurgical processes po eh,
05:55kapag smelting and refining po naman.
05:59Yung smelting kasi sa Pasar,
06:01you produce 99.99% copper.
06:05It's almost perfect.
06:07So, meaning the process of smelting
06:10and refining is
06:13maayos na.
06:14Maayos na yan.
06:16So, I don't know any technology
06:18that could equate into a product
06:20which is 99.99% copper,
06:23eventually.
06:24So, if I have to
06:25see the process to be
06:27sufficient,
06:29yun din ang gagawin nila
06:30dun sa
06:31dun sa
06:32paksilika.
06:33Otherwise,
06:34if I'm wrong,
06:35I'll beat that,
06:37there could be some new technologies
06:38involved in the
06:39processing po.
06:41Yeah.
06:42So,
06:43medyo ako po,
06:45medyo kabado lang po ako dun
06:46sa
06:48critical mineral processing
06:50dun sa
06:51paksilika po.
06:54Medyo
06:54kailangan tignan natin po
06:56na maayos kung ano po yung
07:00environmental concern.
07:02Ang always thinking ko po
07:04is that
07:05we start right
07:06and not
07:07be reactive
07:08towards the operation
07:09of the project po.
07:10Ang tignan ko rin kasi po,
07:14the
07:16paksilika
07:17is also
07:17a place
07:19wherein
07:19other minerals
07:21from other
07:22countries
07:22will be
07:24pouring into
07:26para iprocess
07:27po doon.
07:28So,
07:29it's not only
07:30our minerals
07:31na nandito sa
07:32Pilipinas,
07:33it's also
07:34the other minerals
07:35from abroad.
07:36So,
07:38I don't know
07:39how much
07:40we can contribute
07:41as a mining
07:42in a mining
07:43perspective
07:44but the
07:46contribution
07:46from
07:47what we call
07:48these
07:48imports
07:49or
07:49diya ilipat sa atin
07:51gaano kadami rin
07:53ang
07:54mangyayaring
07:55ipibigay
07:56at ipaprocess po.
07:57Kayo, Doc.
08:00I know
08:02paksilika
08:02is more
08:03of a
08:04policy
08:06issue
08:07and I know
08:08you're a scientist
08:09although
08:10you've seen
08:11the effects
08:11of policy
08:12in the field
08:14so
08:15yun din
08:16nakuha ko
08:17rito sa
08:17conversation
08:18na to
08:18na
08:18you know
08:19you've
08:20kayo
08:21as a
08:21geologist
08:21most geologists
08:22actually
08:25would want
08:26to see
08:26more mining
08:26the more
08:27mining
08:27the more
08:28work
08:28you're going
08:29to have
08:30so
08:31I'm
08:31kind of
08:32I find it
08:34interesting
08:34that you
08:35want the
08:35country
08:35to be
08:36very cautious
08:36when it
08:37comes to
08:37mining
08:38kasi
08:39you've
08:39seen it
08:39you've
08:40seen it
08:40pero
08:41yung sinasabi
08:41nyo
08:42dito sa
08:42paksilika
08:43it's going
08:44to require
08:44a lot
08:45of
08:45minerals
08:46and
08:47possibly
08:47a lot
08:48of
08:48mining
08:48in the
08:48Philippines
08:49pero
08:49yung sinasabi
08:50nyo
08:50rin
08:50di naman
08:51lahat
08:51na mga
08:52ipoprocess
08:53dito
08:54sa
08:56establishment
08:57na gagawing
08:58sa
08:59New
09:00Clark
09:00City
09:00ay
09:02kakailanganin
09:03yung
09:03minerals
09:04na galing
09:04Pilipinas
09:05you're
09:06saying
09:06that
09:06even
09:07other
09:08countries
09:08can send
09:09their
09:09minerals
09:09to the
09:10Philippines
09:10for
09:10processing
09:11that's
09:12part
09:12of
09:12the
09:12concept
09:12of
09:13paksilika
09:15that's
09:16correct
09:16actually
09:20nababanggit
09:21po
09:21ng
09:23local
09:24government
09:24in charge
09:25sa
09:28BCDA
09:29they're
09:29going to
09:30take
09:30water
09:32from
09:32rivers
09:33that
09:33drain
09:34towards
09:35the
09:35area
09:36then
09:38hindi
09:39hindi
09:39nila
09:40gagalawin
09:41yung
09:41groundwater
09:41or
09:42water
09:42supply
09:43ng
09:43communities
09:43I'm
09:45doubtful
09:45with that
09:46kasi
09:46one
09:47we have
09:48the
09:48El Nino
09:49phenomenon
09:49so
09:50sigurado
09:51makakatuyot
09:52yung
09:52mga
09:53ilog
09:53din
09:54natin
09:54makaka
09:55deplete
09:56yung mga
09:56groundwater
09:57resources
09:57natin
09:58so
09:58there
10:00has
10:00to
10:00be
10:00an
10:02independent
10:03source
10:03of
10:04water
10:04para
10:04dyan
10:05sa
10:05paksilika
10:05if it
10:06is
10:06to
10:06operate
10:07properly
10:07and
10:08also
10:09energy
10:10it's
10:11a
10:11valid
10:11concern
10:12po
10:12so
10:13mahirap
10:13i-estimate
10:14yung
10:14stability
10:15of
10:15water
10:15supply
10:16unless
10:16they
10:17have
10:18sufficient
10:20pwedeng
10:21source
10:21of
10:22water
10:22na
10:22stable
10:23po
10:24yung
10:24flow
10:25so
10:26yun
10:26ang
10:26issue
10:27rin
10:27po
10:27kung
10:28saan
10:28nila
10:28kukunin
10:30So
10:30water
10:31is
10:31going
10:31to
10:31be
10:31a
10:31big
10:32issue
10:32in
10:33paksilika
10:34kasi
10:34if it's
10:35also
10:35going
10:35to
10:35lead
10:36to
10:36an
10:36increase
10:37in
10:37mining
10:37because
10:38of
10:38the
10:38need
10:38for
10:38critical
10:39minerals
10:40maapektuhan
10:41talaga
10:41yung
10:42water
10:42supplies
10:43natin
10:43because
10:44of
10:44pollution
10:44and
10:45the
10:46processing
10:46is
10:47going
10:47to
10:47require
10:47water
10:48as
10:48well
10:48of
10:49course
10:49power
10:49plants
10:50will
10:50also
10:50need
10:50water
10:51to
10:52cool
10:52down
10:53the
10:55machineries
10:56so
10:57that's
10:59another
10:59big
11:00environmental
11:01issue
11:02that we'll
11:02be
11:02facing
11:03and
11:03we're
11:05also
11:05facing
11:06El
11:06Nino
11:07so
11:08it's
11:10the perfect
11:12storm
11:12of
11:12these
11:15possible
11:16impacts
11:17on us
11:17El
11:18Nino
11:18and
11:19this
11:19thirst
11:21industrial
11:22thirst
11:22for
11:23water
11:24and
11:25then
11:27there's
11:28no
11:28clear
11:28plan
11:29where
11:29to
11:29get
11:29the
11:30water
11:30because
11:31now
11:31what we
11:33hear
11:33is
11:33to
11:33get
11:34rain
11:34water
11:35or
11:36surface
11:36water
11:37but
11:39it's
11:40communities
11:41it's
11:42missing
11:42that's
11:45that's
11:46correct
11:46I
11:48think
11:48if
11:50we
11:50study
11:50the
11:51other
11:51areas
11:52where
11:53they
11:53have
11:53data
11:53centers
11:54I
11:55think
11:55it
11:55would
11:56help
11:56us
11:56estimate
11:57what
11:57we need
11:58to
11:59pack
11:59silica
12:00there
12:01are
12:01a lot
12:01of
12:02areas
12:03already
12:03developed
12:04elsewhere
12:05in the
12:06world
12:06that
12:07have
12:07data
12:07centers
12:08that
12:08are
12:09large
12:09and
12:10let's
12:10look into
12:11their
12:11problems
12:12let's
12:13look into
12:13their
12:14concerns
12:14let's
12:15look into
12:15their
12:15needs
12:16siguro
12:17kapag
12:18alam
12:18natin
12:18we can
12:19actually
12:20equate
12:20that
12:21to
12:21the
12:22pack
12:22silica
12:22here
12:23sa
12:23Pilipinas
12:24sa
12:25size
12:26niya
12:26sa
12:27concerns
12:28natin
12:28and
12:29other
12:30things
12:30that
12:31might
12:31require
12:32those
12:33data
12:34centers
12:34otherwise
12:35for
12:36me
12:36kung
12:37hindi
12:37natin
12:39magagawa
12:39lahat
12:40yun
12:40siguro
12:41i-double
12:42check
12:42natin
12:43if
12:43we
12:43really
12:43need
12:44to
12:44have
12:44that
12:44pack
12:45silica
12:45sa
12:46new
12:47clark
12:47city
12:48so
12:49you
12:50would
12:50urge
12:51a
12:51rethinking
12:52of it
12:52yeah
12:54i-i
12:54think
12:55we
12:55need
12:55to
12:55yeah
12:55well
12:56i-it's
12:57always
12:57my
12:58policy
12:58or
12:59my
12:59principio
12:59na
13:00we
13:01start
13:01right
13:01rather
13:02than
13:03magsisisi
13:04tayo
13:05sabi
13:05day
13:05you
13:05you

Recommended