The PLDT Group, through its ICT subsidiary ePLDT, announced new plans to further boost its 65% data center market capacity share by building its 12th data center facility. This development was officially announced by ePLDT President & CEO Victor S. Genuino during his keynote presentation at the W. Media Philippines Cloud and Datacenter Convention 2023.
Genuino shared that the Group’s decision to build the 12th data center is anchored on customers’ needs as well as its aspirations of delivering digital innovation that will bring more business value to its customers and result in inclusive economic growth. The move is also part of ePLDT’s vision to boost the country’s regional competitiveness and bring much-needed investments.
“We want to be able to help the Philippines be the next hyperscaler hub of Asia while continuing to support the digital transformation journey of different sectors locally. That’s why we’ve been investing heavily in our ecosystem to ensure that our data centers will be a crucial enabler of the country’s digital economy,” added Genuino.
The 12th data center will have a power capacity of no less than 100MW. It will further fortify PLDT Group’s data center market leadership in the Philippines while leveraging on the massive infrastructure investment of the country’s largest telecommunication group.
“Historically, data centers have played a silent yet fundamental role in the digital agenda, most especially in the Philippines. But things are changing now. Governments and enterprises are now seeing the integral role that this industry takes on to secure our digital future,” he said during his keynote presentation.
He also shared developments in ePLDT’s 11th and biggest data center, VITRO Sta. Rosa, stating that ePLDT is already receiving several colocation requests from a diverse range of industry leaders, including hyperscalers, CDNs, banks, BPOs, carriers, and even the national government.
Once completed in early 2024, VITRO Sta. Rosa will be the country’s largest and most advanced data center with a total power capacity of 50MW. Designed to be Rated-3 Certified and Rated-4 Ready, it is fit to host the most critical and power-intensive IT infrastructure of hyperscalers and enterprises.
With VITRO Sta. Rosa on the rise and a 12th data center facility underway, ePLDT’s power capacity will increase to around 200MW once both sites are activated. PLDT President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio explained at a separate PLDT press briefing that the Group’s vision for data center expansion is depending on demand from enterprise customers and hyperscalers.
PH as an attractive investment of choice
A 2023 Q1 market report by S&P Global Market Intelligence showed that the Philippines is poised for a 13% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) in data center operational space between 2020-2025 due to the recent expansion of hyperscalers and significant interests of global enterprises in the country. This has put the country on a competitive footing with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The rosy market outlook is a welcome development for ePLDT as it is also committed to helping the country strengthen its position as a data center hub for APAC.
As a digital transformation enabler, ePLDT provides customized solutions that could support the government’s policy push and sustain the interest and requirements of global hyperscalers as well as foreign firms and local enterprises. Currently, it offers a total rack capacity of nearly 10,000 and owns a network of 10 globally certified VITRO data center facilities strategically located across the country.
