ASEAN should unite to spur jobs, investments—Recto
To bolster the ASEAN semiconductor industry, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said member nations should work hand-in-hand to strengthen the semiconductor and electronics industry.
Recto, who represented President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the ASEAN Semiconductor and Electronics Forum on Monday, stressed that the region must capitalize on its combined strengths in manufacturing, technology, research, and skilled labor to become a major global hub for semiconductor production and innovation.
“This race is more than technology. It is about jobs, investments, innovation, and economic security,” said Recto, who chairs the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Advisory Council (SEIAC).
“I firmly believe that ASEAN can win a much bigger share of that future only if we build it together,” he continued.
Recto urged ASEAN countries to work more closely instead of competing individually for investments in the rapidly growing global semiconductor market.
He said each country brings different strengths that could combine to make ASEAN a more attractive destination for international investors.
Under the approach, a semiconductor company investing in one ASEAN country could tap suppliers, skilled workers, research facilities, and other resources across the region.
Such cooperation, Recto said, would give global companies greater confidence in ASEAN as they look for reliable production sites amid geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and other global uncertainties.
“We cannot remove uncertainty from the world. But we can give investors greater certainty about ASEAN,” he expressed.
More jobs, investments for Filipinos
Recto said stronger ASEAN cooperation could bring more factories, better-paying jobs, and opportunities for Filipino businesses, supporting President Marcos’ push to move the industry beyond assembly and testing into chip design, advanced engineering, research, and innovation.
He cited the Philippine Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Roadmap, which targets $110 billion in annual exports by 2030, and invited ASEAN investors to explore the Luzon Economic Corridor, including a proposed 1,600-hectare technology hub in New Clark City.
These investments, Recto said, could strengthen the Philippines’ role in ASEAN’s semiconductor supply chain while creating jobs and economic opportunities beyond Metro Manila.
Recto also highlighted the Philippines’ young, increasingly tech-oriented workforce as a major advantage in attracting semiconductor investment.
“Our median age is only 27 years old. We have a young, English-speaking, tech-savvy workforce hungry to learn,” he shared.
“Our goal is to connect talent to technology, technology to investment, and investment to jobs,” Recto continued.
He urged ASEAN countries to launch similar joint initiatives, including cross-border training programs, research partnerships, and supplier development projects that would help smaller businesses join global production networks.
“Let us develop suppliers across borders, train the next generation of engineers together, and bring more ASEAN enterprises into global value chains,” he added.