Fairchild Semiconductor Receives Philippines' Top 5-Star Child Friendly Award; Honor Elevates Company to Hall of Fame Status Within Employers Confederation of the Philippines.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

CEBU, Philippines--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 20, 2003

Fairchild Semiconductor (NYSE: FCS), the leading global supplier of high-performance products that optimize system power in multiple end markets, today announced the company has received the 5-Star Child Friendly and Child Labor Free Award for 2002 from the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP). The 5-Star Award represents the highest level of achievement for "child friendly" and "child labor free" conditions, and elevates Fairchild into the ECOP Hall of Fame where they will serve as a model for other companies.

Fairchild's Cebu Community Care Program has been instrumental in enabling the company to receive the 5-Star Child Friendly Award. The program is focused on improving the quality of public education, preserving the environment and benefiting school children of the neighboring communities. Fairchild's Cebu Community Care initiatives include:

-- Adopt-A-School Program - Upgrades school infrastructure and improves education quality through building and renovating classrooms and computer rooms, providing textbooks and school supplies, and teaching computer classes;

-- College Scholarship and Career Orientation Programs - Provides college funding and offers career and college guidance for high school students;

-- Environmental Painting Contests - For students to paint environmental murals on the school fencing. The company also offers a Paint-An-Environment contest for children of employees;

-- Anti-Dengue Program - Educates employees on how to eliminate mosquito-breeding environments within their communities;

-- Plant-And-Foster-Tree Program - Plants tree seedlings and assigns school children to take care of their own tree; and

-- Hepatitis and Influenza Immunization - Funds immunization for employees and their dependents.

In order to be considered for the 5-Star Award, companies must demonstrate success and achievement in the following hallmarks of good business:

-- Compliance with Philippine labor laws and regulations;

-- Known and documented policies and practices of not employing

children;

-- Existence of advocacy program against child exploitation and

abuse; and

-- Commitment to undertake collaborative activities against

exploitation and abuse.

The 5-Star Award ensures that Fairchild's Cebu, Philippines facility does not enlist child labor to produce the company's products, and at no stage in the production of the company's semiconductors have children been exploited by Fairchild's suppliers or subcontractors.

"Our focus on the community is serious business at Fairchild, and we are delighted that our efforts continue to be recognized as outstanding," said Rodulfo Bollozos, Fairchild Cebu managing director. "We owe our success in large part to our Community Care Program, which helps children through activities such as scholarships, school support and promotion of academic excellence."

The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (EPOC), through its partner organization the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), implements this certification process in the Philippines for the International Labor Organization (ILO) - International Program for the Elimination of Child Labor.

Fairchild Semiconductor:

Fairchild Semiconductor (NYSE: FCS) is a leading global supplier of high performance products for multiple end markets. With a focus on developing leading edge power and interface solutions to enable the electronics of today and tomorrow, Fairchild's components are used in computing, communications, consumer, industrial and automotive applications. Fairchild's 10,000 employees design, manufacture and market power, analog & mixed signal, interface, logic, and optoelectronics products from its headquarters in South Portland, Maine, USA and numerous locations around the world. Please contact us on the web at www.fairchildsemi.com. out the quart