ePLDT to build 12th data center to boost PH expansion, market capacity

The PLDT Group, through its ICT subsidiary ePLDT, announced its plans to establish its 12th data center facility.

File photo: ePLDT

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In a statement, the company said the planned 12th data center facility was announced by ePLDT President & CEO Victor S. Genuino during his keynote presentation at the W. Media Philippines Cloud and Datacenter Convention 2023.

This facility is seen to boost its 65 percent data center market capacity share, ePLDT said.

Citing a 2023 Q1 market report by S&P Global Market Intelligence, ePLDT said the Philippines is to record a 13 percent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) in data center operational space between 2020-2025. This is due to the expansion of hyperscalers and significant interests of global enterprises in the country.

This has even put the Philippines on a competitive footing with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, ePLDT said.

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, the company said.

ePLDT noted its plan for a 12th data center was anchored on customers’ needs as well as the company’s goal of delivering digital innovation that will bring more business value to its customers and result in inclusive economic growth. This is also part ePLDT's vision to boost the country's regional competitiveness and bring much-needed investments, it added.

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, Genuino said.

The 12th data center will have a power capacity of no less than 100MW.

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, Genuino said.

The company official also shared developments in ePLDT’s 11th and biggest data center, VITRO Sta. Rosa.

He said 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 data center with a total power capacity of 50MW.

This facility was designed to be Rated-3 Certified and Rated-4 Ready in order to host the most critical and power-intensive IT infrastructure of hyperscalers and enterprises, ePLDT noted.

ePLDT said its power capacity will increase to around 200MW once both sites are activated.

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