Aquino cites semiconductor and electronics
industry for contribution to country's economic growth
President Benigno S. Aquino III has cited the
Philippine semiconductor and electronics industry for its contribution in
helping the government to revolutionize the country's economic growth amid the
global crisis.
In his message keynoting the 12th Chief
Executive Officer Forum and 114th General Membership Meeting of the
Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI) held
at the Solaire Resort and Casino Manila in Paranaque City on Monday, the Chief
Executive said the semiconductor and electronics industry continues to be a
massive contributor to the country's economic progress.
The event which has for its theme
"Advancing Manufacturing Technology for Inclusive Development" aims
at helping the government to make the country a competitive business
environment for semiconductor and electronics technology.
"Despite a year-on-year decline in the
electronic industry’s share in total exports, I’m told an additional 31,000
Filipinos found employment with you in 2012," the President said.
The President commended the semiconductor and
electronics industry for its impressive performance in the past years for
bringing in more investments to the country.
"There is also the ten-percent increase in
the investments your industry recorded, from 2.45 billion dollars in 2011 to
2.7 billion dollars in 2012. And I am told that there was also an increase in
the importation of materials for the manufacture of electrical equipment in May
and July this year—maybe in anticipation of a higher demand for electronics in
the world market," President Aquino said.
"All signs point to your confidence—to your
determination to move forward, despite the setbacks you may have encountered.
So, allow me to once again thank you for your faith and optimism in our people
and our country," he said.
Also in attendance were Interior and Local Government
Secretary Manuel Roxas, Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo,
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.,
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director-General Joel
Villanueva, SEIPI President Dr. Dan Lachica, among others.
Electronics is acknowledged as the main driver
of the Philippine economy as it accounts for US$22.56B of the country’s total
exports for 2012. With the organization’s member companies responsible for over
40% of total electronics exports, this unequivocally makes SEIPI a major
economic force in the country.
The SEIPI is the leading and largest
organization of foreign and local semiconductor and electronics companies in
the Philippines. PND (js)
President Aquino says Electronics Product
Development Center will boost semiconductor and electronic industry
President Benigno S. Aquino III said the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is putting up a modern and
world-class Electronics Product Development Center (EPDC) to boost the
country's semiconductor and electronics industry.
In his message keynoting the 12th Chief
Executive Officer Forum and 114th General Membership Meeting of the
Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI) held
at the Solaire Resort and Casino Manila in Paranaque City on Monday, the Chief
Executive indicated the said center designed to improve the industry’s testing
and prototyping capabilities, will open next year.
"On top of this, we have an international
initiative that establishes relationships with renowned institutions: the
Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes or PCARI Project," the
President said.
"Under PCARI, the Institute for Information
Infrastructure Development, or IIID, will focus on research and development for
increased competitiveness of the Information and Communications Technology, and
the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries. This is a project that will serve
both the needs of the academe and of industries like yours—ultimately
redounding to the benefit of our countrymen," he said.
Last May, the President inaugurated the Advanced
Device and Materials Testing Laboratory (ADMATEL) at the DOST compound in
Bicutan, Taguig.
"You are likely already familiar with the
Advanced Device and Materials Testing Laboratory, or ADMATEL, established by
our Department of Science and Technology. Failure analysis and other tests can
be conducted here as opposed to sending products to other countries—potentially
cutting down on your expenses and the time it takes between the production of
and actual export of products," he said.
There are 19 companies and institutions from
your industry—16 from SEIPI—that have already benefit from its services. The
SEIPI has 254 member companies, so perhaps I can take this opportunity to
invite the remaining 238 to come see and test our facilities. We could use your
business, and I am sure that we will be able to contribute to greater
efficiency in your businesses as well," he said.
President Aquino pledged government’s full
support to the country’s semiconductor industry, hoping that ADMATEL facility
would help the country gain a bigger slice of the world market for
semiconductors.
"So I do not doubt that we will be able to
achieve our goals, as long as we continue to view each other as true partners.
Today, more and more, your work is complemented by both government and
society’s efforts. I know that we will weather all adversity so long as we keep
the faith in each other," he said. PND (js)
President Aquino hopes to reach agreement with
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on power sharing annex
President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed
optimism that both the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
peace panels can finish the power sharing annex of the Framework Agreement on
the Bangsamoro (FAB) this year.
"Tuluy-tuloy ang ating mga dialogues with
the MILF on the annexes, maganda naman ang developments on the talks on the
last two remaining annexes. I was assured na we are still on track," the
Chief Executive said in an interview after attending the 12th Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) Forum and 114th General Membership Meeting of the Semiconductor
and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI) held at the Solaire
Resort and Casino Manila in Paranaque City on Monday.
President Aquino said that government peace
negotiators are working to reach an agreement with the MILF on the
power-sharing annex.
During the resumption of the 41st formal
exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia both parties stressed the need to
ensure just and acceptable solutions to address the decades-old conflict in
Mindanao.
The President also noted that the government
peace negotiators are also holding dialogues with the Moro National Liberation
Front (MNLF) for the full implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement.
"Maganda rin, supposed to be, ang talks
with the other factions of the MNLF – they condemned di ba, the Zamboanga City
incident; at pati na rin iyong mga others na nominally associated with Misuari,
some of whom are disassociating themselves from the Misuari faction," he
said.
Malacanang earlier reiterated that the 1996
Final Peace Agreement that was signed between the government and the MNLF has
not been terminated. PND (js)
President Aquino says electricity restored in
over 76 percent of municipalities in Bohol
President Benigno S. Aquino III announced the
restoration of electricity in over 76 percent of all municipalities in Bohol
which was severely affected by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake last October 15.
In an interview after attending the 12th Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) Forum and 114th General Membership Meeting of the
Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI) held
at the Solaire Resort and Casino Manila in Paranaque City on Monday, the Chief
Executive said restoration works in areas affected by the earthquake have
almost been completed.
"Ang report nung Bohol Electric
Cooperative, as of October 20, ang transformer count ng energized is 76.65
percent in all municipalities, 77.74 percent of all barangays are
energized," he said.
The Department of Energy (DOE) continues to
monitor and address the power and fuel situation in Central Visayas, especially
in Bohol and Cebu.
Officials from the DOE, National Grid
Corporation of the Philippines, National Electrification Administration,
National Power Corp. and the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. earlier
discussed the measures to restore power and fuel supply in the
disaster-stricken provinces at the soonest possible time.
The DOE is also studying how to deploy small
generator sets to temporarily provide power to critical facilities and
communication services while assessment of the safety of the buildings and
other structures are still being undertaken, the President said. PND (js)
