GOV'T AID NEEDED TO BOOST PHL INTEGRATED CIRCUIT,
SYSTEM DESIGN CAPABILITIES - ANGARA

Senator Edgardo J. Angara said that the government needs to pour more investments into supporting the growth of industry-led initiatives in integrated circuit (IC) and system design.

Angara, chair of the Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE), is pushing for funding for the Industrial Research and Development Institute (IRDI) to boost the competitiveness of the Philippines electronics and semiconductors industry, specifically through IC and system design.

The IRDI is modeled after a similar institute in Taiwan - the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) - which is credited with creating an environment for the industry and government to collaborate. This helped Taiwan become a technology leader.

"This project was conceptualized after studying Taiwan's ITRI, a key factor in Taiwan's economic success. This is a model we want to replicate here," said Angara.

"We have to change the way we innovate as a nation. IRDI will be a public-private partnership that is industry-led. Government and academe can support R&D initiatives through the institute as envisioned by COMSTE's electronics and semiconductors panel," he added.

COMSTE has partnered with a worldwide, Filipino-owned industry leader in IC design that has transformed part of its operations into a training center for local colleges and universities.

The training center has access to the facilities and personnel currently employed by the IC design company. The company also provides training modules for undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty.

Angara said that the guidance of an industry leader enables universities to develop circuits that would be useful for the industry. This, in turn, will enable engineers to develop skills necessary to enter seamlessly into the workforce and eventually set up their own startup companies.

"This type of three-way partnership among industry, academe and government will help the country innovate and create high value products that will showcase the ability of local engineers in R&D, and consequently attract more foreign investments," he emphasized.