The Philippine Chemical Industry

The Philippine chemical industry is highly diverse, supplying chemicals used in agriculture (fertilizers, pesticides), food processing (preservatives, flavorings, shortening, colorants), textiles (dyes, resins, finishes), construction (paints, coatings, adhesives, cement additives, mastics, sealants), health care (pharmaceuticals), mining (floatation agents, leaching chemicals, activated carbon), electronics (plastics, industrial gases), packaging (inks, plastics, adhesives, surface coatings), and national defense (explosives). This article reviews the history of the chemical industry in the Philippines, presents economic data, discusses major trends, and looks to the industry’s future.