Pax Silica Initiative Targets Global Semiconductor Supply Chains

The United States has spearheaded a multinational initiative called Pax Silica to secure the global supply chain for semiconductors and technology. The program operates as a public-private partnership designed to ensure that raw materials and energy flow freely to support corporate profits and global economic stability. Its primary goal is to keep these critical supply chains in trusted hands, specifically excluding Russia, Iran, and China from the network.

One key component of this infrastructure push is the Luzon Economic Corridor. This project is currently under review by local activists who are assessing its impact on the Philippines. Bria Penk, who serves as the Regional Coordinator for the Oregon chapter of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, is leading much of the local analysis. She also holds membership in Kapit Bisig, a group of workers and union organizers that supports the labor movement in the Philippines. Penk and colleagues are examining the specific risks the corridor poses to everyday residents and identifying local connections to the broader initiative.

Ennie Pio is another voice in this assessment. She is a member of the Bayan Regional Council and part of the Bayan New Patriotic Alliance. This international organization comprises women, workers, artists, and youth who work to protect Philippine sovereignty. Together, Penk and Pio discuss the mechanics of the Pax Silica project and the potential consequences for the local economy and community stability.

Support for the resistance to these supply chain changes is available through a dedicated online campaign. Advocates can access resources at tiny.cc/shutdownpaxsilica to aid in the pushback against the initiative. The focus of this local engagement remains on the intersection of labor rights, human rights, and the economic structures of the new corridor.

In a separate segment, the program features the film Magellan, directed by Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz. The movie stars Gael García Bernal as the 16th-century Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The film follows the famous project of circumnavigating the globe while rejecting standard commercial movie conventions. It utilizes a style known as Slow Cinema to offer a demythologized view of European imperialism. The film is available for streaming rent or as a DVD through the Multnomah County Library.

The episode also includes excerpts from a March 2026 talk by Talilo Marfil, a Portland-based West Bisayana Filipino-American hip-hop artist. Marfil is a creative producer and youth advocate whose music blends traditional hip-hop with Filipino cultural influences. During his presentation at WSU Vancouver's DocArts Series, he discussed how hip-hop served as a path out of homelessness and incarceration. He also spoke about urban farming as a method for collective liberation and described the collaboration that produced the song and video Roots.

Marfil produced Roots in partnership with the Municipal Eco-Resiliency Project, known as MERP. The collaboration also involved Toni Hill, Mic Crenshaw, and Wassla. Marfil has shared stages with artists including Tech N9ne, Ruby Ibarra, Baby Bash, and Apo Whang-od. He founded Talilo Music LLC and co-founded youth-focused initiatives that use arts, mentorship, and peer support to expand access to creative opportunities for young people.