Something positive, for a change

CTALK

- CITO BELTRAN

For the longest time, the Filipino default is to wail about how other countries have left us behind, how this country and that country in ASEAN has bypassed the Philippines in terms of economics, education, sports, etc. etc. But last Wednesday, I finally heard about how the Philippines is making a mark in the steel industry.

Pundits and negatrons might quip: "What steel industry?" They obviously have not been keeping up with the times, clinging to headlines and accounts that are 20 years old.

Yes, there is a "steel industry" and there is one company bigger and better and more modern than all the rest combined. That company is SteelAsia under the leadership of a humble visionary, Ben Yao, chairman and CEO.

Much has been written about SteelAsia concerning its fast-paced growth and expansion, but an interesting turn of events took place last May 22, 2025 at the conference and exhibition of South East Asia Iron and Steel Institute in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In past conferences, little would ever be said about or heard from participants from the Philippines regarding the state of the Philippine steel industry. Unlike other attendees, the Philippines has long ceased to have large steel mills or plants and has heavily depended on imports from China to meet local needs. As a result, there was never much to talk regarding the Philippine steel industry.

SteelAsia chairman Ben Yao was given the opportunity to share a little about SteelAsia and the Philippine situation. What followed had heads turning. Here are parts of his presentation, beginning with the challenges, both current and future.