CSU-DECE Swears In as Affiliate Member of SEIPI

Caraga State University was formally inducted as the newest Affiliate Member of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI) during its 3^rd Quarter General Membership Meeting (GMM) and induction of new members thru a virtual ceremony held on August 26, 2021, via Zoom.

SEIPI is an organization of the leading multinational and Filipino-owned semiconductor and electronics companies in the Philippines with more than 300 members, including manufacturing firms, allied and support industries, and a select group of universities and colleges. The Philippine semiconductor and electronics industry is a significant driver of the Philippine economy and the largest contributor to the country’s manufacturing sector. In 2020, the sector accounted for US$39.67 billion, or 62.2%, of the country’s total exports and employing over 3 million direct and indirect workers.

This quarter’s GMM has a theme, “Recovery on the Horizon: Igniting the Industry and Economy through Innovation and Policy Reforms.” The GMM presents key government measures and technological innovations that will help the industry continuously bounce back from the impact of COVID-19 and help sustain economic recovery.

The GMM was officially opened by Dr. Dan Lachica, President of SEIPI. This was followed by a talk of Mr. John Ocampo, Co-Founder and President of Gaas Labs and Chairman of MACOM. The Keynote Address was given by Honorable Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, also Chair, Committee on Energy.

The induction of the new official members of SEIPI took place afterward with Caraga State University (CSU), through the Department of Electronics Engineering (DECE), was inducted as one of the new official Associate Members of SEIPI. Dr. Rowena P. Varela, CSU Vice President for Research, Innovation, Extension (VPRIE), represented CSU in the said induction with Engr. Jeffrey T. Dellosa, TTLO Director, and Engr. Ydron Paul C. Amarga, DECE Chairperson.

Membership in SEIPI is one of the strategic directions of the university, specifically the DECE Program, to engage the industry. Engr. Dellosa is previously connected with Philips and NXP Semiconductors Philippines, Inc. which were members of SEIPI as well.

The membership with SEIPI would allow the DECE Department to engage the semicon and electronic companies in the country through partnerships and collaborations in research and development and deploy students and faculty immersions with the partners in the industry.

During the meeting, Mr. Ferdinand O. Geluz, the First Vice President and Chief Commercial Official of MERALCO, delivered his speech about the Public-Private Partnership Reinforcing the Role of Energy Sector in Economic Recovery and presented innovations being implemented in MERALCO. Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., Chief Implementer, and Vaccine Czar, National Task Force Against COVID-19, gave some updates on the Vaccination Program and Local Transmission Variants. ROC & JTD/DECE/pico