PH urged to explore IC design sector

Taiwan has urged the Philippines to set up companies that will encourage innovation in the integrated circuit (IC) design sector, so that the country can establish a competitive “digital niche” in Asia.

In a statement, the Department of Trade and Industry said Professors Shuenn-Yuh Lee and Cheng-Han Hsieh of the Taiwan-based National Cheng Kung University noted that local or homegrown engineers have increased their technical capability over the years. These engineers are well poised to put up IC design startups to boost the digital revolution not only in the country, but also in the region.

IC design was deemed an essential part of the Philippine semiconductor and electronics industry, which is expected to attract $10 billion worth of fresh investments, generate $112 billion worth of exports by 2030, as well as produce direct and indirect employment of up to 24 million for the same period. This will make the Philippines a globally competitive electronics hub by 2030.

Last year, the semiconductor and electronics industry accounted for 28 percent of the country’s GDP output, equivalent to export receipts of more than $21 billion, and had employed some 4 million direct and indirect employees.

Lee and Hsieh were in the country to facilitate the 5th IC Design Training Program, which focused on the importance of analog to digital and digital to analog converters.This was an initiative of the DTI, the Board of Investments (BOI), the Taiwanese Government, and the Philippine Institute for Integrated Circuits (PIIC).

“These four institutions are working together to improve and promote the IC Design industry in our country. Individual industry roadmaps have identified training needs to address human resource development and upgrade them with latest technology requirements of the global market,” said Trade Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr.