Philippines promoted as top location for future digital infrastructure

Location and competitive incentives make the Philippines an ideal location for digital infrastructure, Board of Investment (BOI) Executive Director Bobby Fondevilla said in a report by Philippine News Agency.

In his speech during the Siemens Tech Forum in Mandaluyong City on late Wednesday afternoon, Fondevilla said the data center industry is becoming one of the cornerstones of the country’s digital economy.

Thus, the science and technology-based approach and the innovation-led strategy aim to make the Philippines a regional hub for sustainability-driven industries.

He said the availability of tech-savvy population, skilled and adaptable workforce, rising capacity for renewable energy (RE), and an all-of-government efforts to update regulatory frameworks and ensure a transparent and competitive business environment make the country an ideal site for data centers.

Fondevilla, a lawyer, said there are already several data center players in the country, and their local operations show that “the Philippines is no longer a potential location” but already a reality.

“The Philippines is not just ready. It is an ideal location for the future of digital infrastructure with our competitive incentives, strategic locations, and a government fully committed to innovation. We are creating the ideal environment for data center investments to thrive,” he said.

Siemens ASEAN president and chief executive officer Dr. Thai Lai Pham, in his speech during the event, said the Southeast Asia’s digital infrastructure market is growing significantly and the Philippines is gaining from it.

Citing market data, he said the Philippines’ data center market was valued at about USD633 million (PHP36.2 billion) last year and this is forecast to reach USD1.97 billion (PHP112.67) by 2030.

The Siemens ASEAN chief said three key aspects that should be focused on to ensure growth of the local data center sector are efficiency, resilience, and sustainability.

“The Philippine data center industry is at the forefront of the country’s digital transformation. And all of us stakeholders who wish to make this industry successful in the years to come have an important role to play by engaging in continuous dialogue so that we can leverage the game-changing developments that this industry faces,” he added.