Chipmakers see some export growth upside

THE Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) said it is maintaining its forecast of flat to modest growth for exports this year, with increasing demand possibly offsetting the impact of US tariffs.

- By Justine Irish D. Tabile

SEIPI President Danilo C. Lachica said exports of semiconductors and electronics are being driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers.

"It's just a matter of navigating the economic and geopolitical considerations, specifically for semiconductors, the US tariff," he told reporters on Tuesday.

"In fact, while we projected flat growth this year, we're not predicting doom and gloom, so we're still maintaining our forecast. And maybe, optimistically, some modest growth, notwithstanding the US tariffs," he added.

He said that if export growth for the first seven months is annualized, exports could top $42 billion.

"Then again, a lot of things can happen with all the geopolitical uncertainty; it would be prudent to just say exports will be flat with some optimism for modest growth," he added.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that exports of electronic products totaled $25.61 billion at the end of July, up 7.2%.