Students from several universities across the Philippines staged campus walkouts and protests on Friday, November 13, opposing US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit and the US-led Pax Silica initiative ahead of the 2026 ASEAN Summit.
The protests, organised under the National Youth Day of Action, brought together students demanding greater protection of the country’s national interests, natural resources and environment. Demonstrations took place at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Ateneo de Manila University and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), with other student groups also announcing protest activities.
At UP Diliman in Quezon City, students organised a rally to express opposition to Trump’s expected arrival for the ASEAN Summit, scheduled to take place in the Philippines from November 16 to 18. Kabataan Partylist Representative Renee Co addressed protesters, criticising Trump’s policies and raising concerns about the proposed expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure in the country.
“We don’t want to sell the future of the youth,” Co said, declaring solidarity with young people worldwide and adding that students were prepared to fight for their future.
At Ateneo de Manila University, students and university personnel also joined the walkout, carrying placards rejecting Pax Silica and calling for environmental protection. Students at PUP organised a mass walkout, with their student chapter joining the wider national protest movement.
Student organisations have particularly criticised Pax Silica, a US-led initiative focused on securing international supply chains for critical minerals, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence technologies. The Philippines joined the initiative as its 13th member in April 2026.
Protesters are demanding greater transparency about the agreement, arguing that its implementation could affect the country’s economic sovereignty and allow foreign interests greater influence over its strategic resources.
The proposed Pax Silica industrial hub in New Clark City, Tarlac, has also triggered environmental and land-related concerns. Activists have warned about its potential consumption of large amounts of water and electricity, as well as possible displacement of indigenous communities from their ancestral lands.
The Philippine government, however, has defended the initiative. The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has stated that the proposed development will operate under Philippine laws and is intended as an industrial hub involving semiconductor and microchip manufacturing rather than a cluster of hyperscale artificial intelligence data centres.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton also said earlier this week that no announcement on the proposed Pax Silica Economic Security Zone was scheduled during the upcoming ASEAN Summit, adding that decisions would involve consultation with the Philippine government and discussions about the project’s impact on stakeholders.
Despite these assurances, opposition among student organisations and other civil society groups continues to grow as Trump’s visit approaches.
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The demonstrations highlight the growing involvement of young people in debates over international economic partnerships, technological development, environmental protection and national sovereignty, with students insisting that decisions affecting the country’s future must also reflect the interests of its younger generation.
