Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg announced on Apr. 16 that the United States and the Philippines plan to establish a 4,000-acre industrial hub in the Luzon Economic Corridor of the Philippines. The site is being designated by the Philippines as an Economic Security Zone and is described as a new model for investment acceleration hubs under the Pax Silica Initiative.
The project aims to strengthen American and global supply chains by securing inputs considered vital to manufacturing and industry. According to Helberg, "the site—the first of its kind—is being designated by the Philippines as an Economic Security Zone, a new model for AI-native investment acceleration hubs being developed under the Pax Silica Initiative." The initiative seeks to create purpose-built platforms for allied manufacturing shaped by market demand, local advantages, and evolving needs among partner countries.
The planned governance structure involves joint oversight by both governments. They intend to develop frameworks that ensure sovereign alignment and shared benefits as the zone expands. The Economic Security Zone will combine American expertise in legal standards with access to Philippine resources such as its workforce, mineral reserves, energy assets, and strategic location within Indo-Pacific trade routes.
The Luzon Economic Corridor features coordinated investments in transportation, energy, digital infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing sectors. This infrastructure is expected to transform Luzon into a more interconnected region while offering value opportunities for American investors.
Helberg said this hub is intended as "the first Zone in a broader industrial network—a constellation of integrated manufacturing sites, logistics corridors, and shared financial instruments spanning partner nations across multiple continents." Organizers hope this approach will shift Pax Silica's industrial policy from isolated projects toward an interconnected system capable of competing with existing concentrated supply chains worldwide.
