SEIPI turns bullish on electronics exports

MANILA, Philippines — The umbrella group of electronics and semiconductor firms in the country now expects electronics exports to grow by 10 percent this year, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers.

“We upped it (projection) to 10 percent for 2026,” Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (SEIPI) president Dan Lachica told reporters.

If realized, he said the country’s electronics exports would hit a record-high of around $54 billion.

Earlier this year, he said that SEIPI was projecting a five percent growth in electronics exports this year from $49.64 billion in 2025.

He said that SEIPI raised the electronics exports growth forecast given industry performance.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that electronics exports rose by 20.7 percent to $26.10 billion in the first semester from $21.62 billion in the same period last year.

Lachica said that electronics exports are expected to be driven by AI and data center requirements.

While AI chips are not being made in the Philippines, the country produces support equipment for AI and data centers.

“AI is still going to grow. Data centers are still going to grow,” Lachica said.

He also said that there are still many growth opportunities in AI amid advancements in technology.

“The peak is not there yet,” he said.

Outside of AI, he said other sectors served by the industry such as automotive electronics and telecommunications also continue to grow.

He said that the Philippines’ share in the global semiconductor market is around five percent as of last year.

In terms of electronics manufacturing services (EMS), he said the country’s share is only one percent.

“That’s why the industry roadmap we’re launching will be instrumental in growing our EMS share in the global market,” he said.

Under the Philippine Semiconductor and Electronics Industry roadmap, the aim is for annual electronics exports to reach $110 billion by 2030.

Lachica also said that SEIPI is working with the Department of Science and Technology to set up a wafer fabrication lab to turn raw silicon wafers into integrated circuits or chips in the country.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to resubmit in 2027, and then it will be the proof of concept to show the world that we can make wafer fab,” he said.