THE Philippines is positioning itself to be a consistent and reliable global partner in the semiconductor and electronics value chain, targeting about $110 billion in output by 2030 or about 2.5 times larger than the current industry size.
The goal is to produce $70 billion worth of semiconductor packaging and $40 billion worth of assembled electronics and integrated circuit (IC) design services.
The Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (OSAPIEA) said on June 4 that these targets formed part of the Philippine Semiconductor and Electronics Industry (PSEI) Road Map currently under development.
The government formed last April a body tasked with advising the president on the development of this export-oriented sector, as part of efforts to sharpen the Philippines’ competitive edge in the global value chain.
Known as the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry (SEI) Advisory Council, the group is expected to guide policy and strategy to help boost the economic contribution and long-term growth of the industry.
“The SEI Advisory Council aims to address the problems, issues and concerns of industry players and find solutions for these. The Council will focus on the Ease of Doing Business for those in the ATP (assembly, testing and packaging) industry and develop a talent pool for the IC Design industry,” OSAPIEA Secretary Frederick Go said.
Go added that the collaborative approach of this council would accelerate the country’s growth and benefit Filipino families nationwide.
In addition to setting new industry targets, the government has adjusted its previous goal of producing 128,000 skilled professionals for the semiconductor and electronics sector by 2028.
The timeline has been moved to 2030 to better align with the sector’s long-term development plans.
Back in April, Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. president Danilo Lachica said the local sector would likely grow revenues this year between 1 and 2 percent.
Last year, the country’s revenues on electronic product exports fell to $42.74 billion, down 6.4 percent from $45.65 billion in 2023. (Alden M. Monzon © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
