MANILA, Philippines — The government has unveiled a three-part industrial development blueprint most business leaders have been clamoring for since day one of the Aquino government.

The first part is the expansion and integration of already proven key winning industries that include electronics, mining, BPOs (business process outsourcing) and other information-technology driven industries, automotive and tire manufacturing, ship building and ship repair, plus plantation or corporate farming.

Second part of the industrial development blueprint will be thrusts involving small and medium enterprise (SME) development in the fields of tourism, agri-business and handicrafts.

A third leg of the industrial development blueprint is government support to new or emerging industries that hold great potentials for growth.

The expansion and integration of the electronics industry has taken top priority since it has become a big part of the national economy. Mining, on the other hand, is experiencing a dynamic resurgence although it still faces certain difficult issues.

Information technology-driven industries led by business process outsourcing and call centers need further support as the country faces the shortage of qualified workers that deters sustained growth.

Ship building, on the other hand, has posed spectacular growth and emerged as the front running growth export earner in recent years with only two big companies, Hanjin and Keppel, finding home in the country. More ship builders are keen at locating their ship building facilities in the country.

The case for plantation or corporate farming need not be overemphasized with the success of the banana and pineapple industries in Mindanao. This could be replicated with other food or industrial crops like natural rubber, palm oil, abaca and the like.

Tourism was chosen for obvious reasons. The Philippines has natural, cultural and historical destinations that only need support infrastructure like hotels, restaurants, transport and other modern facilities to make the industry fly. Many of those facilities can be built by small entrepreneurs.