On 11 July 2025, the Philippine Integrated Circuit Design Association (PICDA) officially launched its presence at the IRTC Conference Hall of the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) in Manila.
In a strong show of support for PICDA’s mission to foster deeper industry-academe collaboration, Xinyx and the Technological University of the Philippines ceremonially signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) during the event. The partnership is grounded in Five Pillars of Collaboration: curriculum development, educator empowerment, career jumpstart for students, access to educational assistance opportunities, and the development of the local IC design ecosystem.
The collaboration focuses on aligning academic programs with industry needs through curriculum enhancement, faculty development, and student training opportunities. TUP will work to introduce or update microelectronics-related courses, while Xinyx will provide expert advisory support in specialized IC design fields such as analog, digital, layout, and verification.
Educators will benefit from possible immersions, workshops, and capacity-building programs to keep pace with evolving technologies. The agreement also outlines internship and training opportunities for students and research assistants, ensuring they gain practical experience and are well-prepared for careers in the semiconductor industry.
Looking ahead, the partnership includes provisions for scholarships, joint events, research collaborations, and efforts to strengthen the local microelectronics ecosystem. Together, Xinyx and TUP aim to nurture world-class engineering talent and contribute to the country’s growing role in the global semiconductor space.
The event brought together a distinguished lineup of speakers from both academia and industry to introduce the organization, its strategic goals, and its vision for the future of IC design in the Philippines. Among them were Engr. Reynald P. Ramos, President of TUP; Engr. James Botiquin, Design Verification Director at Silicon Verified Consultancy, Inc.; Dr. Jefferson Hora, Dean of the College of Engineering at Mindanao State University; Engr. James Lapuz; Engr. Sherif Sweha, Board Advisor at Silicon Verified; Dr. Alexander Abad, Professor at De La Salle University; Engr. Adonis Santos, Dean of the College of Engineering at First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities; Dr. Lean Karlo Tolentino, Dean of the College of Engineering at TUP; and Mr. Genesis Orozco, President and CEO of Advanced Computing Solutions, Inc.
A message of support for PICDA was delivered by Undersecretary Angel Ignacio of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs, who highlighted the national government’s strong commitment to advancing the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry, as demonstrated by the establishment of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Advisory Council. Undersecretary Ignacio emphasized the potential of IC design to create high-value jobs and to encourage Filipino talent to stay in or return to the country. She also led the oath-taking of PICDA’s interim officers, officially marking the beginning of the association’s work.
- President: Ms. Charade Avondo – Xinyx Design Consultancy, Inc.
- Vice President for Industry Affairs: Engr. James Botiquin – Silicon Verified (SilVer)
- Vice President for Government Affairs: Engr. James Lapuz
- Vice President for Academic Affairs: Dr. Jefferson Hora – Mindanao State University
- Treasurer: Engr. Adonis Santos – First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH)
- Public Relations Officer: Dr. Alexander Abad – De La Salle University
- Secretary: Atty. Roy Relato
- Auditor: Dr. Lean Karlo Tolentino – Technological University of the Philippines-Manila (TUP)
Is your school ready to take microelectronics education to the next level?
Partner with Xinyx through our Campus Connect Program, a growing alliance of institutions committed to developing future-ready IC design talent.
By joining, your campus can gain access to:
- Industry-aligned curriculum support
- Faculty immersion and training opportunities
- Student internships and development programs
- Scholarships and research collaboration
- Co-branded events and ecosystem-building initiatives
Let’s work together to shape the next generation of Filipino innovators.
Reach out to us at ox.campusconnect@xinyxdesign.com