Manila, 18 November 2025: ERIA, in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Philippines, Board of Investments (BOI) Philippines, and SEIPI, convened the Philippine National Consultation Roundtable on the Priority Economic Deliverable (PED): Developing Framework on Semiconductor Investment Strategies for ASEAN at the Makati Shangri-La in Manila, the Philippines.

The roundtable served as an early gathering of key national stakeholders to shape the discussion and reaffirm their commitment to advancing the semiconductor-related priority economic deliverable ahead of the Philippine ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026.

Sessions and Outcomes
During the opening session, Mr Reynaldo D. Lignes, Acting Director of Manufacturing Industry Services, provided remarks on behalf of the BOI Philippines, followed by Ms Anna Maria Rosario D. Robeniol, Senior Policy Fellow at ERIA. A keynote address was given by Undersecretary Ma. Angela E. Ignacio of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (OSAPIEA). Undersecretary Ignacio emphasised the need to seize the ongoing momentum and leverage strategic opportunities in the semiconductor value chain for the Philippines and ASEAN.

Dr Han Phoumin, Senior Energy Economist at ERIA, set the context for the discussions. Building on the adoption of the ASEAN Framework for Integrated Semiconductor Supply Chain (AFISS), Dr Phoumin highlighted ASEAN’s strategic opportunities, such as its location and geopolitical neutrality, abundance of critical minerals, leadership in assembly, testing, and packaging (ATP) and integrated circuit (IC) design, as well as coordinated incentives in special economic zones (SEZs) and industrial parks. However, regional challenges still pose as major obstacles in developing a more integrated regional supply chain, including policy fragmentation, talent and skills gaps, infrastructure disparities, and limited upstream and R&D capabilities.

Against this backdrop, the discussion sessions proceeded as follows.

• Session 1, moderated by Dr Han Phoumin of ERIA, explored Philippine perspectives on the PED. Major themes raised included the need for a unifying regional framework, talent competitiveness, and a consolidated regional supply chain and innovation hubs.
• Session 2, moderated by Dr Dan Lachica (President of SEIPI), explored industry and investor perspectives on the PED. Discussions centred on ecosystem-building through fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, workforce development and skills matching, and local linkage development – all contributing to clarifying the roles of ASEAN’s semiconductor stakeholders.
• Session 3, co-moderated by Ms Anna Maria Rosario D. Robeniol (ERIA) and Ms June D. Villasanta (BOI Philippines), resulted in a streamlined set of principal action items for the PED, structured under the three focus areas of AFISS: technology and infrastructure, supply chain and connectivity, and talent.

The productive 1-day session was adjourned following remarks from Ms Anna Robeniol of ERIA and Dr Dan Lachica of SEIPI, making way for closer engagement with Philippine and ASEAN semiconductor policymakers and stakeholders in the forthcoming year.

ASEAN Framework for Integrated Semiconductor Supply Chain (AFISS)