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

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

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.

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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.

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