Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC), through subsidiary SEM-Calaca Power Corporation (SCPC), together with the University of the Philippines (UP) and the UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI), has formally launched the country’s first academe-based Failure Analysis (FA) Hub.
The partnership agreement establishes the FA Hub with its own funding and operational structure. This enables engineers and researchers to independently offer failure analysis services that identify the causes of material and structural failures.
This builds on SMPC’s 2023 donation of specialized equipment to the Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (UP DMMME), which provided engineering students additional opportunities for hands-on experience in materials testing and failure analysis.
“Genuinely empowering people is not a one-time act of support, but a continuous effort that fosters self-sufficiency and long-term stability,” said Charlie V. Robles, SMPC Vice-President and Power Complex Manager.
SMPC donated specialized equipment for material science to the UP DMMME last December 2023.
Empowering local engineers
UPERDFI President Angelito D. Bermudo emphasized the importance of empowering Filipino engineers, and that easier access to failure analysis could help reduce unplanned power plant outages.
“We extend our sincere appreciation to SMPC for investing in the future of Filipino engineers, and for empowering the UP to lead in the critical fields of failure analysis and material science,” he added.
UP Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II hailed the partnership as an exercise in nation-building that will benefit not only industries but also the public at large.
“This Failure Analysis Hub is more than just a new facility — it is a strategic investment in the future of Philippine engineering by building DMMME’s capacity to offer failure analysis techniques,” Mr. Vistan said.
Through this collaboration, SMPC, UPERDFI, and the University of the Philippines aim to nurture a new generation of globally competitive Filipino engineers, committed to innovation and nation-building.
Failure analysis involves examining components to predict when industrial equipment may fail — a critical process for ensuring safety and continuity in heavy industries.
Due to limited local access to FA, many utility providers have had to outsource these services overseas, incurring higher costs and longer turnaround times. With SMPC’s investment in the FA Hub, these services can now be conducted locally, reducing costs and building local expertise.
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