THE PHILIPPINES is seeking to attract more investment in chip design, engineering and research as surging electronics exports strengthen its position in global technology supply chains, Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto said.
The government wants to move the industry beyond assembly and manufacturing into higher-value activities as demand for semiconductors and data-center infrastructure expands, Mr. Recto, who chairs the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Advisory Council, said in a statement on Sunday.
“Investors now see that we are an investment choice not only for manufacturing and assembly, but also for chip design, engineering, research, and innovation,” Mr. Recto said.
“As demand for AI (artificial intelligence), semiconductors, and data centers grows, opportunities are also expanding for our workers, engineers, and businesses,” he added.
Philippine merchandise exports hit a record $64.04 billion in the first eight months, up 14.8% from a year earlier, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported. Electronic products accounted for $37.1 billion of the total, increasing 26.2% year on year.
In August, exports hit $9.11 billion, the highest since the PSA started tracking the monthly indicator in 1991. Electronic products accounted for $6.2 billion, or 68.1% of the total.
The Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) raised its 2026 electronics export growth forecast to 10%, which if borne out will bring the total to about $54 billion.
Mr. Recto said the government’s roadmap contemplates semiconductor and electronics exports of $110 billion by 2030.
Mr. Recto said targets include increasing the country’s share of global semiconductor assembly, testing and packaging from 4% to 7%, and developing an integrated circuit design industry generating $2 billion to $3 billion worth of exports each year.
Mr. Recto also cited Toshiba Corp.’s planned expansion of its Philippine operations over the next three years, which is expected to create about 3,000 jobs, as an example of investment in technology-related manufacturing.
Meanwhile, the US remained the top export market with $12.3 billion in orders, Mr. Recto said, with SEIPI attributing the strength of order growth to the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy Act.
He added that the government aims to capture 4% of global electronics manufacturing services while developing the Luzon Economic Corridor and a broader Philippine Technology Corridor to host advanced manufacturing hubs. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking