Inspirational Message of Mr. Tadashi Yamaji, IMES Chairman
At 16th ASEMEP National Technical Symposium last June 28, 2006

Thank you Ms. Rochelly Martinez, for introducing me.

To the SEIPI-Board of Directors, Mr. Kazuya Takeda, HITACHI, Ms. Melba Cuyahan, Philips, Mr. Richard Cohen, ON Semi-Conductor, and Mr. Earnie Santiago, Executive Director of SEIPI.

To the ASEMEP-Board of Directors and Officers headed by Mr. Jimmy Apolinar who took the leadership to make this year's NTS successful.

To our partner in the Academe represented by Dr. Luis Sison, Professor from the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department - University of the Philippines.

To the Cavite Export Zone Investors Association (CEZIA) headed by Mr. Nobuo Fujii who always supported us at Cavite Economic Zone.

To our strong supporter and best friend in the government sector, Honorable Director General, Ms. Lilia De Lima of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

And to all guests and to all participants, Good morning !

First of all, I would like to thank SEIPI and ASEMEP for holding the 16th National Technical Symposium, in behalf of a host company, P.IMES.

I am delighted to be here with you to give an inspirational message.

It is a great honor for us that P.IMES which stands for Philippine International Manufacturing and Engineering Services was appointed to be the host company. We are not a big company.

We are one of TFT-LCD Module and Backlight Assembler, located in Cavite Economic Zone, since 1994, about 12 years ago.

Why are we selected as a host company ?

I think, it's because P.IMES is like the Philippines. We are not so big, We are not so rich. We are not so strong. We have a lot of difficulties like the Philippines. But we are eager to learn to grow to compete with other Asian countries like the Philippines.

So far, we made a small contribution to the Philippine industry, as one of top exporters and also a small contribution to the local society as one of top Environmental Management System performers as a good corporate citizen.

We are now at the turning point.

We are transforming ourselves from labor-intensive assembler to technical-oriented manufacturing and engineering service provider, to compete with China.

We are enhancing our technical capabilities, thus, to make our company strong.

We know that to provide high-quality products and excellent engineering services depends on the technical capabilities of our people.

The Philippines, as well as our company, is really in need of young people who are technically competent with other Asian countries.

This year's theme "Sustaining Competitiveness through Technical Vitality towards a STRONG nation" is just fitting to the current business situation.

In that sense, technical papers and presentations to be shown today and tomorrow are good evidence of the Filipino/Filipina's technical competence and vitality among Asian countries.

That's why this National Technical Symposium is indeed important and meaningful.

I think, It is SEIPI that would make the Philippines strong, because SEIPI is leading this country in terms of high-technology industry.

It is ASEMEP that would make SEIPI strong, because ASEMEP is leading SEIPI in terms of engineering and manufacturing innovations.

I really hope the 16th ASEMEP National Technical Symposium to be successful, fruitful and meaningful to make the Philippines strong.

Lastly, I like the Philippines very much as well as Japan. I have three children in Japan. And I have more than 1,500 children in the Philippines, in P.IMES.

Young people in this hall are all my sons and my daughters. It is a great pleasure for me, an aged father, to see young Filipino/Filipina children are growing up.

This is my net message, Gawin natin No.1 technical-oriented nation, ang PILIPINAS !

Thank you very much and Maraming Salamat sa inyong lahat.