Press Release
June 19, 2009

High value-added activities will propel the Philippines
 as a major industry player - ANGARA

Upgrade the skills of RP workers and engineers pushed

Lack of competitiveness in our workforce drove the government to a program to upgrade the skills of workers and engineers through the Congressional Commission on Science and Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) headed by Senator Edgardo J. Angara, which will institutionalize strategy to develop Institutional Research and Development Institute (IRDI).

"It is not incapacity of our labor force but it is the lack of support from institutions that will aid their studies and development," said Angara who chairs the Senate Committee on Science and Technology and COMSTE.

He added, "The Philippines has yet to achieve high level of technological readiness and innovative aptitude that epitomizes well-developed economies and those entering the developed phase."

To extend limited resources, the program will tap various agencies such as the Technical Education and Skill Development Authority (TESDA) to finance the program. Meanwhile, the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Incorporated (SEIPI) is tapped to perform administrative functions, and Advanced Research and Competency Development Institute (ARCDI) will act as the training and executing arm.

ARCDI and SEIPI have identified three areas of study to focus on product, test and develop engineers which will also be split into three levels per focus area;

o Level 1 - Engineers learn Basic Working Knowledge - which is the foundational part of the
   program.

o Level 2 - Courses here are designed for engineers who can work with minimal supervision

o Level 3 - Area wherein design and innovation activities are being developed

The faculty is composed of trainers that are either external consultants or are still currently employed in the industry. And to ensure global competitiveness, multinational companies will handle the assessment of the engineers.

With IRDI, the Philippines will advance investments in R&D, innovation, and training of workers. This will institutionalize private-public arrangement as a strategy to improve the country's competitiveness, being spearheaded by the Electronics Panel of COMSTE.

Angara noted that there are high value-added activities that will propel the Philippines as a major industry player. However, the senator accepts the fact that it will take a while for our engineers to mature but he is optimistic that with the private-public partnership being instituted in the IRDI the Philippines may finally catch up with the big players.

"We must continue to strive for increased global competitiveness and harmonization of all technology transfer efforts to place ourselves high up against developed countries," added Angara.

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