BIÑAN CITY, Laguna (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. highlighted the role of robotics, innovation, and advanced technology in improving workers’ productivity and strengthening the country’s supply chain in the automotive industry during his visit at the Nuvali Steel Processing Center in Biñan City, Laguna on Saturday, September 26.
The Chief Executive emphasized that the adoption of modern technologies from the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) will not replace the workers but rather enable them to perform tasks more efficiently, improve precision and production quality, and increase overall output, helping local enterprises meet the growing demands of the automotive sector not just in the country but also globally.
“Hindi na tayo kailangang mag-import ng kung ano-anong piyesa. Karamihan na ng piyesa na ginagawa na motorsiklo, dito na nanggagaling. And therefore, the value-added stays here. The supply chain is in the Philippines. The supply chain is also being encouraged here in the Philippines,” Marcos said.
He added that companies supported through government technology programs not only contribute products to one part of the supply chain but also help stimulate the growth of other players within the industry.
The President likewise linked a stronger domestic supply chain with increased production and employment opportunities.
“Pagka matibay ang supply chain, mas malaki ang production, mas maraming trabaho, mas marami tayong magiging produkto na puwedeng gamitin, again, for assembly of various kinds of machines,” he added.
He also expressed appreciation for the actual application of advanced robotics in the manufacturing facility, saying the technology demonstrates how automation can be directly used to produce components needed by industries.
“It is fascinating that the technology is already here, and it is fascinating to see state-of-the-art robotics that are actually in an industrial setting. Nakikita natin ‘yung mga robot sa mga display-display lang. Ito ‘yung talagang kung saan nila ginagamit na para gumawa ng piyesa,” the President said.
For DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., the experience of Nuvali Steel also challenges the common perception that automation necessarily results in fewer workers.
Solidum said the company’s workforce increased from 71 employees to 241 employees over the years as its production capacity, product quality, customer base, and volume of materials handled expanded.
“Simply because with the more production, the more quality production, the more customers, the more the volume of materials, the specific customer would cater. So you can add more people, some of the robotic processes that they do, it’s not standard-own robotics, but they need people to intervene in the process,” Solidum said.
The DOST chief then explained that increased production and improved quality enabled the company to serve more customers and handle larger volumes of materials, creating a need for additional workers.
The President’s affirmed support to strengthen local manufacturing, encourage technology adoption, and build a more integrated domestic supply chain is seen to increase production, employment, and positioning of the country in the global automotive industry. (AM/PIA CALABARZON)