Executive Secretary Ralph Recto leads the launch of the Philippine Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Roadmap on Sept. 2, outlining the government’s goal of raising semiconductor and electronics exports to $110 billion by 2030 and expanding into higher-value activities such as chip design, engineering and research. (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Executive Secretary)
The Philippines is aiming to more than double its semiconductor and electronics exports to $110 billion by 2030 as the government seeks to move the country deeper into chip design, engineering and other higher-value segments of the global technology supply chain.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto unveiled the target during the launch of the Philippine Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Roadmap on Sept. 2, outlining plans to attract new investments while creating more specialized and higher-paying jobs for Filipino workers.
A key part of the strategy is reducing the industry’s dependence on traditional assembly and manufacturing. The government wants more semiconductor products to be designed, engineered and developed in the Philippines.
“Ang target natin, hindi lang makita ang Made in the Philippines sa mga produkto. Gusto natin: Designed in the Philippines. Engineered in the Philippines. Innovated in the Philippines,” Recto said.
Under the roadmap, the Philippines wants to increase its share of the global semiconductor assembly, test and packaging market from 4 percent to 7 percent by the end of the decade.
It is also targeting a 4-percent share of the global electronics manufacturing services market while developing a domestic integrated circuit design industry capable of generating between $2 billion and $3 billion in exports annually.
The semiconductor and electronics sector already accounts for more than 60 percent of Philippine merchandise exports and generates over $45 billion annually, according to figures presented during the roadmap launch.
Recto said the industry is also expected to play a major role in the Luzon Economic Corridor, which the government is positioning as an investment and infrastructure hub linked to international supply chains.
But reaching the industry’s targets will require the government to address constraints that could limit expansion. Recto identified shortages of engineers and skilled workers, infrastructure requirements for power, water and logistics, lengthy permitting processes and regulatory bottlenecks among the issues that need attention.
As chairman of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Advisory Council, Recto said technical working groups would be given specific targets and timelines to track implementation rather than allowing the roadmap to remain only a planning document.
“A roadmap is only as good as its execution. We have enough good plans in government. What the industry needs from us now are results,” Recto said.
Officials from the government’s economic, trade, education and investment agencies joined semiconductor industry representatives, business groups and universities at the launch as the administration seeks closer coordination between government, industry and the education sector to meet the roadmap’s targets.