ASEAN semiconductor roadmap finalized as bloc seeks bigger share of AI boom

Philippine Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go said on Sunday (November 15) at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit's AI Summit in Manila that the ASEAN Semiconductor Roadmap was finalized on November 14 and would soon be circulated to member states. The roadmap gives countries a framework to coordinate semiconductor investment and strengthen regional supply chains, letting members build complementary capabilities rather than compete for investments in isolation.

From assembly and testing toward chip design and advanced packaging

The Philippine Department of Finance said the roadmap provides a regional strategic framework for semiconductor supply chains, helping the Philippines expand its capabilities beyond assembly, testing and packaging into integrated circuit design, advanced packaging and high-performance computing. "It lets each of our nations build our part of the value chain, so that more of the gains stay in ASEAN," Go said.

Digital economy pact signed the same day

The roadmap is one of 19 Priority Economic Deliverables under the Philippines' 2026 ASEAN chairship; another, the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), was signed in Manila on November 14 by all 11 members. It is the world's first region-wide digital economy agreement, covering digital trade, cross-border data flows, electronic payments, data protection and cybersecurity, with a goal of doubling Southeast Asia's digital economy from about US$1 trillion to US$2 trillion by 2030. It is expected to enter into force in early 2027.

Philippine electronics exports surge, but value-add lags

Electronics account for 70 percent of Philippine exports; total shipments jumped 36 percent in September to their highest monthly value since records began in 1991, and export growth reached 17 percent in the first nine months of 2026. Go acknowledged the challenge is translating strong demand into higher-value manufacturing and technology capabilities. ASEAN has about 700 million consumers, and seven of its member states' industry groups signed a joint communiqué on October 26 pledging deeper semiconductor and electronics cooperation.

Sources: Philippine Department of Finance; Context.ph.