THE Philippines is working with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in a project to further develop the semiconductor industry in Asia-Pacific (APAC), Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said at the Asean Business Environment Forum (ABEF) in Manila last week. The project, called the Advance Sustainable Clean Energy Network for Development (Ascend), is an ADB initiative that would accelerate clean energy transition by securing supply chains for critical minerals and clean energy technologies across the APAC region. It comes with a $280-million loan, “which builds on previous support that promoted Industry 4.0 developments and opportunities identified for technology-driven startups,” ADB said in a statement. Industry 4.0 seeks to transform the country‘s labor market and high-growth sectors through digital skills development and innovation centers. These aim to mitigate job displacement from automation while capturing productivity gains in the country’s most competitive industries. Ascend would boost the capacity of select state universities to translate research and development outputs into commercial solutions, ADB said.   https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/03/16/business/top-business/adb-supporting-asean-semiconductor-roadmap/2300273 (ICE SINGAPORE)

Fonte notizia: The Manila Times, 16 March 2026