‘Reject Pax Silica!’ 9,000 Baguio-Benguet students stage massive walkout

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Around 9,000 students from schools across Baguio City and Benguet staged coordinated walkouts and protest actions on Friday, November 13, opposing the proposed US-led Pax Silica initiative and the upcoming visit of US President Donald Trump for the 49th ASEAN Summit.

The students marched from their respective campuses and converged at Igorot Garden, chanting, “TUTULAN ANG PAX SILICA! IMPERYALISMO IBAGSAK!”

According to the Baguio City Public Information Office, participating schools included the University of the Philippines Baguio, University of the Cordilleras, Saint Louis University, University of Baguio, Benguet State University, Easter College and Baguio City National Science High School, among others.

The protesters opposed the Pax Silica initiative, Executive Order No. 122 and the proposed US-Philippines Critical Minerals Agreement, claiming these could threaten the country's natural resources, ancestral lands and national sovereignty.

Pax Silica is a US-led strategic initiative launched in December 2025 to secure supply chains for critical minerals, energy, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, artificial intelligence infrastructure and other technologies. The Philippines and the United States have also discussed plans for a proposed technology and industrial hub in New Clark City, Tarlac, as part of the initiative.

Executive Order No. 122, meanwhile, establishes a national policy framework for developing the Philippine critical minerals industry, promoting mineral exploration, processing and investments in related industries.

In an interview with local media on November 14, Bdog Constatino, spokesperson of the League of Filipino Students Baguio-Benguet, said organizers were surprised by the turnout, which exceeded their expectations as students from additional schools joined the protest.

“Actually po sobrang surprising po kasi nag exceed sa expectation naming kasi mas madaming dumalo. Yung initial po yung apat na schools na nabanggit ko noon which is SLU, UP, UC, UB pero nagulat po kami na meron na pong delegation ng BSU, Easter College, at yung mga iba’t ibang high schools…Syempre po yun naman simula palang ng mas malawak na pag kilos na kung saan sa November 16, may gagawing multi-sectoral rally ulit sa Malcolm Square 5pm, tinitignan din natin yung availability ng mga students kung sino na po yung mag kukusa na available dun kasama narin mga mamayan ng Baguio-Benguet,” Constantino said.

He said the November 13 walkout was only the beginning of their planned protest actions, with a multisectoral rally scheduled at Malcolm Square on November 16 at 5 p.m. Students who are available were encouraged to join the activity alongside other sectors and residents of Baguio-Benguet.

Constantino said the large student turnout showed that young people were aware of the issues surrounding Pax Silica and Trump's visit, emphasizing the role of the youth in shaping the country's history.

“Ang daming mga kabataan ang mulat sa issue ng pax silica at pag bisita ni Donald trump, tapos ito po yung tugun natin sa mga nagsasabi ng “ah yung mga kabataan mag aral nalang kayo” kasi pag tinitignan natin sa kasaysayan, syempre hindi passive ang mga kabataan bagkos sila ay mga active na taga pag likha ng kasaysayan” he said.