The government will spend ₱70 million on an education overhaul aimed at shaping the country’s future workforce for the semiconductor and electronics industry, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

In a statement, the DTI said the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved the ₱70-million investment to strengthen the talent pipeline for the industry that manufactures electronic products, the country’s top export commodity.

The funding will support a new coordinated strategy to upgrade classrooms and teaching standards, ensuring that students are aligned with global benchmarks in advanced manufacturing and electronics.

The DTI said the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Advisory Council (SEIAC) will take the lead in turning this investment into tangible gains.

SEIAC was formed to outline policies to bolster the country’s semiconductor and electronics industry, create quality jobs, and elevate the Philippines’ position in the global value chain.

The ₱70-million investment was one of its proposals to the government, citing its importance in closing skills gaps and aligning local education with international industry standards.

A key component of the initiative is the government’s partnership with Arizona State University (ASU), a leading institution in engineering and semiconductor research.

Starting in January, SEIAC will send 25 local teachers and researchers to ASU to learn the latest in chip manufacturing and advanced engineering.

“They are expected to return to train students on global best practices, scaling the impact of the program,” the DTI said.

CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said the initiative will enable Filipino graduates to “lead and compete in the global semiconductor and electronics landscape.”

Agrupis added that the investment supports the development of “stackable” Level 5 diploma programs in areas such as microelectronics and semiconductor assembly.

These programs allow workers to gain certifications quickly and facilitate faster entry into the workforce, she said.

To complement this, SEIAC also launched the electronics career map, which provides clear progression pathways for aspirants toward high-value employment, spanning entry-level roles to diploma-level qualifications.

The Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (OSAPIEA), which chairs SEIAC, said building a reliable pipeline of skilled talent is critical to sustaining investment and expansion in the semiconductor and electronics industry.

“The program aligns workforce development with the needs of high-value manufacturing and positions the Philippines as a stronger and more competitive player in the global semiconductor market,” said OSAPIEA Undersecretary Angel Ignacio.

The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that electronic products were the country’s top export from January to November, with a combined value of $41.91 billion, up 15.5 percent from $36.28 billion in the same period last year.

The Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (SEIPI) earlier estimated that the country’s electronic exports could grow by as much as seven percent this year from last year’s total of $42.6 billion.

SEIPI expects the upward momentum to continue in the coming year, with growth estimated at around five percent.