The electronics and semiconductor industry expects a 10-percent increase in exports in 2022 to nearly $50 billion, after breaching the pre-pandemic levels by 3.9 percent last year.
Semiconductor and Electronics Industry in the Philippines Inc. president Dan Lachica said exports in 2021 amounted to around $45 billion, or up 13.4 percent from $39.67 billion in 2020. Electronics exports in 2019 were about $43.32 billion.
“Exports are still the biggest dollar generator for the country including the service sector, BPO and OFW remittances. At this phase, we should have reached $45 billion by end-2021. This will be confirmed by the Philippine Statistics Agency when it announces the report by Feb. 10,” Lachica said during the group’s general membership meeting Thursday.
Semiconductor and electronics exports account for about 60 percent of total commodity exports. The main export market destinations are Hong Kong, the US, China, Singapore and Japan.
Meanwhile, electronics imports in January to November 2021 reached $29 billion, mostly from China, Korea, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan.
SEIPI said that in 2022, it would continue to work with the Bureau of Customs towards the resolution of several industry concerns, particularly the charging of unauthorized overtime fees, exemption from the Electronic Tracking of Containerized Cargo System, on red-tagging of shipments related to the X-Ray Selectivity System, and its ongoing appeal to reimburse the penalties and fees that were incurred during the implementation of rigid copper limits imposed the DENR Administrative Order No. 2016-08.
SEIPI’s member-companies and universities will also continue working together in the IC Design Technical Working Group to identify and address industry concerns including talent development and supply and access to IC Design tools.
Specific TWGs were formed like the Wire Harness TWG which intends to help the sector address their needs, including, but not limited to, access to local suppliers, UL certification and cost competitiveness.
The Industry 4.0 TWG will promote the adoption of IR 4.0 by SEIPI manufacturing members. A baseline survey is being implemented to assess the readiness of manufacturing members and identify areas of improvement to accelerate digital transformation and enhance global competitiveness.
Lachica said the group was looking forward to working with French electronics group ACSIEL Alliance Électronique starting 2022. ACSIEL is the biggest association of electronics companies and universities in France.