The Philippine electronics industry began in the mid-seventies when industrialized nations relocated their production facilities to third world countries in order to control the escalating cost of production. Other factors included the country’s geographical location (being at the crossroads of international trade), and attractive government incentives.

The conditions that encouraged foreign electronics companies to turn to the Philippines have remained and have been further enhanced by the country’s political transition to popular democracy in 1986. Since then, the industry has grown rapidly and overtook agricultural as the leading export earning industry in 1996.

Industry Coverage

• The Philippine electronics industry covers the following sub-sectors:

-Semiconductors/Components and Devices (Pentium III, DSPs, Integrated Circuits, Transistors, Diodes, Resistors, Coils, Capacitors, Transformers, Lead Frames, PCB)

-Electronic Data Processing (EDP) Equipment (computers, peripheral storage and input/output devices with products such as laptops, desktop PCs, printers, computer monitor, drives: hard disk, optical, ZIP, CD-ROM)

-Office equipment (photocopiers, fax machines, and electronic calculators);

-Telecommunication Equipment (telephone sets, modems, copper communication cables and fiber optic cables)

-Communications and Radar (cellular phones, pagers, closed circuit television (CCTV), CB transceivers, radar detectors, marine and land mobile radios)

-Control and Instrumentation (test and measuring instruments such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, ammeters, voltmeters, ohmmeters, cross talk meters, etc.)

-Medical and Industrial (X-ray and other medical applications, railway signaling, security and fire alarms)

-Automotive Electronics (car stereos, anti-skid brake systems (ABS), ands car body electronics); and

-Consumer Electronics (TV sets, VCD players, electronic games, radio cassette players and karaoke machines)

Export

Semiconductors and other components remain to be the driving force of the electronics industry. In 2007, it accounts for more than 74% of the total Philippine electronics exports and almost 50% of total Philippine exports. In 2008, the share of Electronics in total exports declined from US$ 31B to US4 28.5B; while that of Non-electronics exports increased by US$1B.

The summary of Philippine merchandise exports by major grouping is as follows:

The biggest destinations of electronic export products, particularly semiconductors, are primarily the markets of the China, United stated, Europe and Japan. In 2007, the total export to Hong Kong became the main market of the Philippine electronic products accounting for 16.23% surpassing Netherlands and Japan. Among the top 5 Philippine exports markets, USA exhibited the stronger growth in 2007 with a 63.8% increase from 2006’s US$ 3.073 B.

Investments

In year 2007, approved investments in the electronics sector reached the billion-dollar mark with total investments of US$ 1.274 billion, generating more than 24,000 additional jobs. This positive increase in investors reached 74% from 2006’s US$ 732 million total worth of investments.

The presence of MNCs in the Philippines continues to strengthen as the number of multinational companies grows each year. Majority of the MNCs come from Japan, USA, and Europe. However, as the global financial crisis continues to worsen, investments in the electronic sector dropped to US$400 M in 2008.

Employment

The Philippines remains to be the number one supplier of knowledge-based jobs and workers worldwide with an immediately available labor force of 32 million over 100,000 engineering, IT, and technical graduates every year.

As of December 2008, the industry directly employs more than 460,000 workers, an increase of almost 5% from 2006.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Quality

The Philippines is an ideal relocation site due to its highly educated and competent English-speaking labor; excellence in customer service and communications skills; and highly skilled manpower pool.

Cost

The following table shows the annual base pay of the semiconductor and electronics sector workers. Individual employee performance is still considered as the most common criteria for granting base salary increase in the industry.

SIZE OF AVAILABLE LOCATION FOR INVESTMENTS

AVAILABILITY OF PARTS AND COMPONENTS

The industry is a growing base of components supplier. It can be said that the industry is highly competitive as multiple players are found in each sub-sector. The presence of a growing base of components supplier boost the country’s image as ideal relocation site as there will be a lesser need to look for component parts outside the country. These complements the industry as it offers a wide variety of products and services ranging from IC Packaging, PCB assembly and full product assembly.

MINIMUM INVESTMENTS COSTS

There is no minimum investment cost for new locators/ new business registrations as long as their financial standing can support or maintain its operations.

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES/POTENTIAL CLIENTS

• Integrated Industry-Government Strategy for Market Growth

• Shift form its present electronics products portfolio to Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) and later to other segments of the electronics value chain which offers spillover/linkage opportunities

• Investments promotion for Solar Power, Aerospace, Automotive, Medical and Military companies

• Supply Chain Development

-Supplier Development/Matching (for robust supplier base)

The industry is a growing base of components supplier. It can be said that the industry is highly competitive as multiple players are found in each sub-sector. The presence of a growing base of components supplier boost the country’s image as ideal relocation site as there will be a lesser need to look for component parts outside the country. These complements the industry as it offers a wide variety of products and services ranging from IC Packaging, PCB assembly and full product assembly.

MINIMUM INVESTMENTS COSTS

There is no minimum investment cost for new locators/ new business registrations as long as their financial standing can support or maintain its operations.

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES/POTENTIAL CLIENTS

• Integrated Industry-Government Strategy for Market Growth

• Shift form its present electronics products portfolio to Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) and later to other segments of the electronics value chain which offers spillover/linkage opportunities

• Investments promotion for Solar Power, Aerospace, Automotive, Medical and Military companies

• Supply Chain Development

-Supplier Development/Matching (for robust supplier base)

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT/POLICIES

Applicable Investment Policies

• Omnibus Investment Code of 1987 (EO 226)

• Investments Priorities Plan

-Entitlement to Incentives

-Equity Ownership

-Equity Requirement

-Regional Dispersal of Industries

-Exemption from Locational Restrictions

• Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 (RA 7916)


Industry Programs

• Human Resources Development

-Unified Competency Development

-Unified Microelectronics Program for MicroED/ERDT university participants

-IC Design Training Program (RP-Taiwan Collaboration)

• Industry Development

-Test/Test Development Industry Profiling

-Supply Chain Analysis of the Philippine Electronics Industry

• Investment Promotions

-Integrated government-industry strategy for market growth

• Aggressive Industry Marketing Campaign

-Policy Alignment

• Manufacturing Excellence Drive

-Best practice sharing

-People productivity programs

-Power/water conservation and cost reduction

Incentives (BOI, PEZA, SBFZ)

Board of Investments

Under Book I of the Omnibus Investments Code, BOI-registered enterprises are given a number of incentives in the form of tax exemptions and concession. These are:

1. Fiscal Incentives

• Income Tax Holiday (ITH)

-6 years-new projects with pioneer status

-4 years-new projects with non-pioneer status

-3 years-expansion /modernization projects

6 years- new or expansion projects in less developed areas/ 30 poorest province

• Duty Exemption on Imported Capital Equipment Spare parts and Accessories

• Exemption on Wharfage Dues, Export, Tax, Duty, Impost and Fees

• Tax Exemption on Breeding Stocks and Genetic Materials

• Tax credits (for export producers only)

• Tax credits on tax/duty portion of domestic breeding stocks and genetic materials

• Tax credit on raw materials and supplies

• Additional Deduction from Taxable Income

• Additional deduction for labor expense

• Additional deduction for necessary and major infrastructure works


2. Non-fiscal Incentives

• Employment of foreign nationals

• Simplification of customer procedures

• Tax and Duty-free Importation of Consigned Equipment for a period of 10 years

• Privilege to operate a Bonded Manufacturing warehouse


3. Incentives for Regional Headquarters and Regional Operating Headquarters in the Philippines.

Philippine Economic Zones Authority

PEZA provides the following fiscal incentives for existing PEZA-registered enterprises-Export enterprises registered with the Export Processing Zone Authority

• Income Tax Holiday (ITH) – 100% emption from corporate income tax

-4 years ITH for Non-pioneer Project

-6 years ITH for Pioneer Project

3 years ITH for Expansion project (ITH applies to incremental sales)

• Upon expiry of the Income Tax Holiday – 5% Special tax on Gross Income and exemption from all national and local taxes.

• Tax and duty free importation of production equipment and machineries, breeding stocks, farm implements including spare parts and supplier of the equipment and machineries

• Exemption from export taxes, wharfage dues, impost and fees

• VAT Zero Rating on local purchases of goods and services, including land-based telecommunications, electric power, and water bills

• Exemption from payment of local government fees such as Mayor’s Permit, Business Permit, permit on the Exercise of profession/Occupation/Calling, Health Certificate Fee, Sanitary Inspection Fee, and Garbage Fee.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority

Subic Bay has a veritable edge as an investment area because of its Freeport status. It is considered a special customs territory where there is free flow of goods and capital equipment.\

Investors in Subic enjoy these following business incentives and privileges:

• Exemption from all local and national taxes such as ad-valorem and excise taxes. Investors are only required to pay a corporate tax of 5 percent from their gross adjusted income. Subic Bay Freeport Enterprises (SBFEs) may also avail of tax holidays if they register with the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI).

• Duty-free importation of raw materials, supplies, capital equipment and other items for consumption within the Freeport.

• Foreign investors may invest up to 100% equity in almost any economic activity in the SBF except for businesses where foreign ownership is limited by the Constitution.

• There are no foreign exchange controls in the Freeport and full repatriation of profit is allowed.

• The SBMA also processes and grants special resident and investor visas. A foreign investor with an investment of at least US$250,000 may be granted a Subic Special Investor Visa. Temporary work permits and Subic Special Work Visas could also be granted to foreign nationals subject to certain requirements.

Support/ cooperation of Industry Associations.

The Board of Investments works closely with the various semiconductor and electronics associations

• Semiconductor and Electronics Industry of the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI)

• Electronics Industry Association of the Philippines, Inc. (EIAPI)

• Philippine Appliance Industry Association (PAIA)

EXISTING PLAYERS

Location of Industry Players

As of December 2008, companies engaged in the manufacture of electronics/semiconductor products registered with the Board of Investments (BOI), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and Subic Bay Freeport Zone in the electronics industry total to four hundred seventy six (476).



EXISTING SUPPORT INDUSTRY

The Board of Investments also works closely with the Advanced Researched Center for Development, Inc. (ARCDI). ARCDI provides high-quality and cost effective training and competency development support to semiconductor and electronics industry players. It offers training modules on specific competency areas which are centered on industry requirements.

INDUSTRY ISSUES AND CONCERNS

• Cost of availability of Infrastructure (Power, Water, Transportation, etc.)

• Retention and Migration of IC Design Engineers

• Development of Electronics Supply and Value Chain

GLOBAL TRENDS

Breakthroughs in Printed Electronics. Printed electronics would make increasing demands for greater quality and process controls, particularly since the range of productions processes is widening (WT Technical Research, Finland). Components like optoelectronic devices, sensors, indicators and power sources can be integrated with printed systems on web, sheet or foil, Professor Kopola said. This is the case with OLED displays, signage, solar cells and miniaturized fuel cells. Merck Chemicals (Chilworth, England), the organic electronics subsidiary of Merck KGaA of Germany is concentrating on the development of materials and printable formulations for organic electronic applications, and is involved with partners in projects for the co-development of printing processes and of components and devices. Over the next few years, matching materials with the most suitable and cost effective processes is likely to be a priority among companies in printed electronics in Europe.

Opportunity in the Solar Industry. Solar energy is one segment in printed electronics in which there are rising hopes of a major breakthrough in terms of technology and production processes. Germany is currently a worldwide leader for the application of solar cells for the generation of heating and electricity. In Philippines, SEIPI reports that the presence of Sunpower, Solaria and now Firs Philec Solar Corporation in the country brings awareness on the time to recognize the solar industry. Extending from SMS to EMS to Solar should be considered.

Green Campaign. European reaction to an ever-growing mountain of discarded cell phones, computers, televisions, MP3 players, and other electronics equipment has put companies in China and elsewhere in a scramble to respond. Two recent European Union (UE) directives aim to boost recycling of old electronics, curtail use of hazardous substances in manufacturing, and improve the environmental performance of producers. These tough “green” regulations could serves as trade barriers to electronics exports from China, the world’s third-largest trading country.