THE Philippine semiconductor industry is looking to venture into wafer fabrication as its regional neighbors also try to upgrade their capacity, an industry group official said on Thursday, March 21.
The Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) said it is looking to get a “lab-scale” wafer fab to train Filipino engineers in the technology.
SEIPI president Dan Lachica said that once there’s enough wafer fab talent in the country, the next step is to convince US semiconductor firms in the Philippines to invest in a full-blown wafer fab.
Lachica estimated that a lab-scale wafer fab would cost around $500 million, while a new full scale facility could cost up to $4 billion.
Meanwhile, SEIPI is hoping to expand into the Czech market.
Lachica said that after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to the Czech Republic, they were contacted by companies there who were interested in a possible partnership. (ABS-CBN News)
