Data center operators form alliance to support industry growth

PHILIPPINE DATA CENTER operators have formed the Data Center Operators of the Philippines (DCPH) to coordinate efforts in strengthening the country’s position as a digital hub in Southeast Asia.

“The Philippines can enhance its infrastructure resilience, attract greater cloud and AI investments, and establish itself as a leading digital hub in the region, enabling the free and seamless flow of data across borders to support the digital economy,” DCPH said in a media release on Tuesday.

The alliance, composed of VITRO Inc., ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (Philippines), YCO Cloud, Digital Edge Philippines, Digital Halo, and A-FLOW (a joint venture between FLOW Digital Infrastructure and AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp.), signed a memorandum of understanding to bolster the country’s regional standing in the global digital economy through robust data center infrastructure development and industry cooperation.

“Together, these companies share a common vision — to strengthen the Philippines’ regional competitiveness in the global digital economy through robust data center infrastructure development and industry collaboration,” the group said.

VITRO, the data center unit of the PLDT Group under ePLDT, Inc., is building its 12^th data center in General Trias, Cavite, which will be its largest to date.

The facility will have a capacity of 100 megawatts (MW) — double that of its 50-MW VITRO Sta. Rosa campus in Laguna, currently the largest in the country.

STT GDC Philippines, a joint venture between Globe Telecom, Inc., Ayala Corp., and ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, operates seven data centers in the country with a combined IT load of 150 MW.

Members of DCPH have a combined 473 MW of IT power capacity, the group said, adding that it will serve as a unified voice for the country’s data center industry.

“Driving stronger collaboration across stakeholders and allied sectors. Its key goals include advancing infrastructure and innovation; working with the power sector to ensure competitive rates and renewable energy access; collaborating with telcos to enhance connectivity; and engaging with government agencies,” it said.

The group also seeks to work closely with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on supportive policies such as data localization, while also developing talent and manpower amid growing demand for hyperscalers and emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.

“The alliance underscored that data localization is crucial for data processed and stored by the public sector. Keeping government data within the country safeguards national security and protects citizen data,” it added.

The DICT has projected that the Philippines’ data center capacity could reach 1.5 gigawatts (GW) by 2028 as more local and foreign operators establish facilities in the country.

“As digital transformation and AI adoption accelerate worldwide, this alliance marks a pivotal step toward building a future-ready and globally competitive digital economy for the Philippines — one powered by data centers, the backbone of digitalization,” DCPH said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose