Thousands of students protest vs Pax Silica, Trump’s arrival in Manila

PROTEST. Students of the Polytechnic University in Sta. Mesa, Manila stage a walkout on November 13, 2026, to protest the Pax Silica initiative and the arrival of US President Donald Trump for the 49th ASEAN Summit.

Rappler

More groups are expected to stage protests across the country in the coming days, coinciding with the ASEAN Summit

AT A GLANCE

• Thousands of students across the Philippines protested against the US-led Pax Silica initiative and President Trump's visit for the ASEAN Summit on November 13.
• Concerns were raised about the environmental impact of Pax Silica and its potential to displace Indigenous peoples and farming communities, with students questioning who benefits from the initiative.
• Despite the protests, the Philippine government clarified that the Pax Silica agreement would not be signed during the ASEAN Summit, urging for more constructive discussions rather than demonstrations.

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MANILA, Philippines – Thousands of students from different parts of the Philippines staged protests on Friday, November 13, against the US-led Pax Silica initiative and US President Donald Trump’s expected arrival in the country for the ASEAN Summit.

Filipinos have raised concerns about the initiative’s potential environmental impact and the possible displacement of indigenous peoples and farming communities.

In Manila, students from the University of Santo Tomas (UST), Asia’s oldest Catholic university, walked out of their classrooms to join the protest.

“Pax Silica is reported to generate hundreds of thousands of indirect and induced jobs. However, projections are not promises and promises are not guarantees, especially when dealing with a global power like the United States,” the UST Central Student Council Executive Board said.

“It is not enough to ask what development Pax Silica can offer; we must also ask who stands to benefit from it, and more importantly, who will bear its costs,” it added.

At De La Salle University, at least 1,500 students also walked out of their classrooms to protest against the initiative.

Students from different campuses of the University of the Philippines, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Miriam College, and Ateneo de Manila University also joined the demonstrations.

In Benguet, around 9,000 students from various schools, including UP Baguio, Saint Louis University, and the University of the Cordilleras took to the streets to express their opposition to Pax Silica.

Students from Central Luzon State University also staged a protest on Thursday, November 12.

The signing of the Pax Silica agreement had reportedly been targeted for November, coinciding with Trump’s visit to the Philippines for the ASEAN Summit.

However, Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo clarified that the Philippines would not sign the agreement during the 49th ASEAN Summit.

“We do not want to distract attention or take away attention from the regional initiatives that ASEAN and the Philippines are proposing,” Rodolfo told reporters on Tuesday, November 10.

Amid the protests, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro appealed to the public to reconsider holding demonstrations during the summit.

“’Kung ano man ang panawagan ito ay sana hindi dinadaan sa pagprotesta although ito ay kanilang karapatan. Pero sa panahon ngayon mas magandang nagkakaroon ng mas masinsinang paguusapan kung ano man ang concerns ng mga estudyante,” Castro said during a press briefing on Saturday, November 14.

(Whatever their demands may be, I hope these are not pursued through protests, although I recognize that this is their right. In these times, however, it would be better to have more in-depth discussions about whatever concerns the students may have.)

Different groups are also expected to stage protests in different parts of the country in succeeding days, coinciding with the ASEAN Summit. – Rappler.com