MANILA – The Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives called on President Marcos to oppose proposals for a United States-backed ammunition facility in the Philippines.

In a statement, the group said such a facility could put the country in the crosshairs of Washington’s adversaries.

“We, the Makabayan bloc, oppose the reported plan under the US-led Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR) to explore building an ammunition loading, assembly, and packaging facility in the Philippines, alongside missile motor and drone manufacturing cooperation across the region,” the bloc said.

“This is not ‘industrial resilience’ for Filipinos; this is war industry integration for US strategic needs. Hindi ito pag-unlad—pagiging kasabwat ito sa gera (This isn’t progress—this is being an accomplice to war),” said ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co.

The lawmakers made their appeal amid rising fuel prices in the country, which they linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict involving the US.

“At a time when US war operations are devastating the Middle East and widening instability, the Philippines must not be turned into a logistical extension of US warmongering,” the Makabayan bloc said.

The group warned that hosting ammunition production for weapons used by aircraft and armored vehicles would constitute “direct material support for militarism and aggression,” while also making the country more vulnerable to retaliation, accidents, or sabotage.

“Ginagawa tayong target. Ginagawa tayong bodega ng bala (They’re turning us into a target. They’re turning us into an ammunition depot),” the bloc said.

Tinio, Elago, and Co stressed that arms manufacturing should not be treated as a routine economic program.

“Weapons production is not neutral industry: it is built on profiteering from conflict and it funnels public policy toward militarization,” they said.

“In the context of ongoing price shocks, inflation, and social service shortfalls, it is obscene to retool parts of our economy for bullets while Filipinos struggle with soaring fuel, electricity, transport, and food costs. Bala ang inaalok habang gutom ang mamamayan (They’re offering bullets to the hungry masses),” the lawmakers added.