San Francisco, California – In San Francisco, California, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of the Philippines expressed his country's eagerness to collaborate with the United States in expanding the semiconductor industry. This declaration was made during a roundtable meeting with the US' Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).
According to Philippines News Agency, President Marcos highlighted the semiconductor and electronics industries as top priority sectors for his administration. He assured the US partners of the Philippine government's commitment, mentioning the involvement of key departments and agencies like the Department of Trade and Industry, the Board of Investments, and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. The private sector's engagement, including the Semiconductors and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation and the Private Sector Advisory Council, was also emphasized.
Marcos pointed out the incentives available under Republic Act 11534, or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act. The act provides incentives for highly desirable projects with substantial investment capacity and job generation potential. He also praised the Filipino workforce for being highly educated, English proficient, and adaptable, assuring a conducive business environment for industry growth.
The government's focus on equipping Filipino workers to be globally competitive in priority industries like semiconductors was underscored. A video posted by Radio Television Malacañang on Facebook showed Marcos' engagement with executives from Vishay Siliconix, a leading company in power semiconductor product development.
Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual discussed Vishay's expansion plans in the Philippines. Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil mentioned the country's intention to participate in the US semiconductor value chain, particularly in relation to the CHIPS Act and President Joe Biden's executive order to enhance supply chain resilience with allies and partners.
Garafil stated the Philippines' readiness to support increased US wafer capacity under the CHIPS Act, along with aspirations to move higher in the value chain, such as chip design. The plan involves establishing a lab-scale wafer fabrication facility in the Philippines and exploring partnerships with US semiconductor firms like Texas Instruments and Analog Devices for a proof-of-concept wafer fab.
The government is also looking into leveraging CHIPS Act facilities for human resources development and training to enhance the capabilities of Filipino workers in supporting US semiconductor and electronics operations in the Philippines.