University students protest Pax Silica, Trump’s ASEAN Summit visit

Shekinah Jedidiah Alima

Students and youth groups from universities nationwide staged walkout protests on February 13 to denounce United States President Donald Trump’s visit to the Philippines for the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits’ closing ceremony.

Demonstrators organized the protests to oppose the US-led Pax Silica, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), criticizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration for strengthening military alliances with the United States.

Calling for accountability, students from the University of the Philippines System, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Far Eastern University, University of Santo Tomas, and Saint Louis University–Baguio joined the protests.

Students from Rizal Technological University, Philippine Normal University, and Ateneo de Davao University also took to the streets, demanding “Trump Out” amid the ongoing demonstrations.

Militant youth and activist organizations, including the League of Filipino Students (LFS), Anakbayan, Kabataan Party-list, and Bayan Muna, also joined the walkouts to strengthen calls for the junking of unequal military and economic agreements and greater transparency from the Marcos administration.

More universities across the country are expected to hold walkout protests throughout ASEAN Summit Week.

Trump is scheduled to arrive in the country on November 17 at 5:30 p.m., just 30 minutes before the Philippines concludes its hosting of the ASEAN Summit, although his arrival is not expected to affect the summit’s program arrangements.

ASEAN 2026 Spokesperson Dominic Xavier Imperial confirmed on November 13 that Marcos will hold a bilateral meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the summit.

However, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Ceferino Redolo earlier confirmed that the signing of Pax Silica is not being considered during the summit and will instead take place at a later date.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg also voiced opposition to the proposed Pax Silica hub in a video statement posted on November 11, stressing that “labor, land, and minerals should serve the people and the planet, not fuel the wars and ambitions of imperialist powers.”

Advocacy groups have been criticizing the Pax Silica initiative, citing concerns that it could displace Indigenous peoples from approximately 4,000 acres of land, primarily in Tarlac, intended for the development of semiconductor and artificial intelligence infrastructure.