PLDT readies P40 billion data center in Cavite

MANILA, Philippines — Telco giant PLDT Inc. is drawing up a plan to build a P40-billion data center in Cavite to support its commitment of raising as much as 500 megawatts of capacity for information storage.

PLDT yesterday inaugurated VITRO Sta. Rosa in Laguna, its 11th and largest data center to date, with President Marcos gracing the launch as guest of honor.

VITRO Sta. Rosa can handle up to 50 MW in capacity, and is the first data center in the Philippines able to handle artificial intelligence.

PLDT chairman, president and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan told the President that the telco plans to provide the Philippines with as much as 500 MW in capacity.

Right now, PLDT’s data center builder VITRO Inc. operates 11 facilities with a combined output of 100 MW.

“We do intend to expand our data center capability for up to 500 MW, (as) we have to be at least equal to the capacity of Malaysia. You have our pledge, Mr. President, to make the Philippines a data center hub,” Pangilinan said.

In an interview with reporters, Pangilinan said PLDT is preparing to invest P40 billion to put up its 12th data center, this time in General Trias, Cavite, with a capacity of 100 MW.

Since that facility would become PLDT’s biggest by cost and size, Pangilinan said the telco aims to build it in five phases of 20 MW each.

While PLDT is still ironing out the project specifications of the data center in Cavite, it said it targets to begin construction in 2026 and complete the facility by 2028.

Further, Pangilinan said PLDT might hold back on its plan to sell a partial stake in its data centers as he believes the telco has to build more facilities first before it can raise the valuation it wants for its portfolio.

Based on previous negotiations, PLDT’s data centers are reportedly worth $1 billion. The largest Philippine telco had talked to Japan’s Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. and European fund manager CVC Capital Partners about the sale, but discussions fell through.

As things go digital, the world has seen a spike in the demand for data centers, where tech giants like Amazon, Google and Meta store their applications and information.

With this, telcos like PLDT and Globe Telecom Inc. are racing to construct data centers to position the Philippines as an investment hub in Southeast Asia for digital firms.