Philippines on Track to Reach 1.5 GW Data Center Capacity by 2028

The Philippines is on track to hit 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of data center capacity by 2028, with a favorable regulatory framework and geographic advantages expected to attract foreign operators, the Data Center Association of the Philippines (DCAP) said. "There is a lot of generation coming not just from players that you know. There’s a lot of generation and power supply out of the provinces… I would say that the interest for data centers in the Philippines is relatively high given our geographical location," DCAP Co-founder Patrick Signo told reporters on the sidelines of an event on Monday. The Department of Information and Communications Technology’s forecast for data center capacity had assumed the expansion of domestic operators as well as the entry of foreign operators. Mr. Signo said the government’s target is feasible even with current combined capacity sitting at 200 megawatts. "I believe we can hit that (target) with the support from the neighboring countries," he said, adding that setting up facilities is becoming easier with developers opting for modular build-ups, facilitating rapid expansion. "We have a large amount of data centers already operating either through the telcos or private consortiums through the conglomerate families… We have a high digital footprint, and the relevance of data centers is increasing," he added. He said the current regulatory framework and incentives on offer are sufficient to encourage operators. "Some do not know policies exist that give them rebates; it is a matter of showcasing what we have to offer," he said, citing tax perks in economic zones and the government’s green-lane expedited-permit initiatives. — Ashley Erika O. Jose