MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. affirmed the Philippine government’s commitment to collaborate with the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) in the United States, expressing readiness for partnership in investments or expansions in the country.
Addressing a roundtable meeting with SIA, President Marcos assured, “You can depend on partners in the Philippines that we are ready to work with you. From the government, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Board of Investments, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority will all be at the forefront.”
The administration places the semiconductor and electronics industries among its top priority sectors, especially with the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act. The CREATE Act enables incentives for up to 40 years for projects with a minimum investment capacity of PhP50 billion (approximately US$1 billion) or those generating at least 10,000 jobs.
In line with the US CHIPS Act and President Joe Biden’s Executive Order, the Philippines aims to enhance its role in the US semiconductor value chain and is prepared to accommodate additional capacity for assembly, packaging, and testing.
The country also aspires to venture into chip design, seeking collaboration with SIA and its members to expedite this initiative. Possible avenues include establishing a lab-scale wafer fabrication facility or partnering with a Philippine-based US semiconductor company for a proof-of-concept wafer fab.
President Marcos emphasized the strengths of the Filipino workforce, highlighting its 50 million-strong population characterized by high education levels, English proficiency, and adaptability.
“We assure you of this Administration’s support to keep industrial peace, provide a world-class workforce that is responsive to the needs of the industry, and enhance a business environment that will be conducive to further growth,” he stated.
The government is dedicated to equipping the workforce for the future and ensuring global competitiveness, particularly in priority industries like semiconductors. Under the CHIPS Act, initiatives for human resources development and capacity-building training are being explored to support the semiconductor and electronics operations of US companies in the Philippines. (Presidential News Desk)
