Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. arrives at Government House, one of the venues for the 50th ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne on March 6, 2024. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)
Manila: The Philippines is poised to produce a "robust talent pool" of 128,000 semiconductor professionals, including engineers and technicians, by 2028, the country's President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos said Monday.
The Philippines is "ready to meet the expanding needs of high-technology industries," Marcos said in his address during the courtesy call of the U.S. government and Presidential Trade and Investment Mission delegation led by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo at the presidential palace.
The semiconductor and electronics sector is the top performer in the Philippines' merchandise exports, accounting for about 60 percent of the total merchandise exports. The country is recognized as a critical player in the global semiconductor value chain, particularly in assembly and packaging.
The Philippines looks forward to playing a role in the research and development, advanced assembly, packaging, and test requirements of the semiconductor industry, Marcos said.
This volume attests to the quality of the Filipino workforce, which is "young, highly skilled, fast learners, creative, productive, adaptable to diverse cultures," Marcos said.
