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Philips Semiconductors announced the opening of an integrated-circuit (IC) test and assembly plant in Calamba, Laguna, on May 10, 1999. The company described a large investment and ambitious production and staffing plans, but those figures were forecasts—not evidence of what the plant later achieved.
What Philips opened in Calamba
The facility was an industrial plant for assembling and testing semiconductor chips, not a factory making finished consumer electronics. It was located at Light Industry and Science Park, Phase 2 (LISP-2), in Calamba, Laguna. Project architect RN Ferrer & Associates records an 8.27-hectare site, about 36,000 square meters of gross floor area, and five principal buildings for production, administration, warehousing, energy, and wastewater treatment. Those are project-record specifications, not audited measures of later operations. RN Ferrer & Associates project record.
Opening, commissioning and construction dates
Contemporary trade reports dated May 10, 1999 described the plant as opened. EE Times separately said it had been commissioned in November 1997 and was expected to be completely operational by the end of 2000. A project portfolio record lists substantial completion in May 1999, while a Philips company-history publication says work on the Calamba facility began in 1998. These dates describe different milestones and should not be treated as interchangeable.
EE Times, May 10, 1999; EDN, May 10, 1999; RN Ferrer & Associates; Philips company-history publication.
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What the plant was designed to make
Calamba was designed for IC assembly and testing, initially concentrating on complex plastic quad flat pack (QFP) chips. Philips said it intended to add other package types as demand required. The chips were intended for component markets including automotive, telecommunications, computers, and consumer electronics around the world; the plant was not described as producing complete vehicles, phones, computers, or appliances. EE Times; EDN.
The 1999 reports called Calamba Philips Semiconductors’ third IC test and assembly facility, following plants in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and Bangkok, Thailand.
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What the announced investment and targets meant
Philips Semiconductors was reported in 1999 to have planned an investment of more than $300 million. Separately, chairman and CEO Arthur van der Poel told EE Times that the first phase was expected to produce $1 billion to $1.5 billion worth of ICs per year by its end. That was a forecast of annual output value, not a reported sales result or a measure of the investment itself. EE Times; EDN.
EDN reported a Philips staffing plan of 1,500 employees by the end of 2000, most of them local Filipinos. That, too, was a target announced at the time—not confirmation that the headcount was reached. Ger Schonk, senior vice president of Philips Semiconductors’ Assembly and Test Product Division, said: “Our belief in the ability and resilience of the local workforce is demonstrated by the fact that almost our entire operation in Calamba will be managed and run by Filipino staff.” EDN.
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How Calamba differed from the Cabuyao plant
Calamba’s focus on integrated circuits distinguishes it from Philips’ nearby Cabuyao operation. Philips’ company-history chronology identifies Cabuyao as a discrete-semiconductor production center opened in 1996; Calamba was the IC assembly-and-test facility announced open in 1999. The two plants were separate operations with different semiconductor activities. Philips company-history publication; EDN.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about the site today
The cited historical reports establish the late-1990s announcement and the company’s plans, but they do not establish whether the Calamba plant is operating today, who owns the site, or what happened after the end-of-2000 operational target. Philips’ 2023 manufacturing-activities overview says it is not comprehensive, so it cannot confirm that this particular site closed or changed ownership. Philips, “At a glance: Manufacturing activities in 2023”.
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