President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the launching of the VITRO Sta. Rosa Data Center, the Philippines’ first AI-ready hyperscale data center, in Sta. Rosa, Laguna on April 23, 2025. (PCO)
PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday led the grand launch of the VITRO Sta. Rosa Data Center, the country’s first hyperscale, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven data center, signaling the Philippines’ pivot to become a major player in the global digital economy.
VITRO Santa Rosa (VSR), a 50-megawatt, purpose-built data center by PLDT, is strategically connected to subsea cable networks linking Asia, the United States, and Europe.
The facility is designed to serve cloud and artificial intelligence needs of global tech leaders.
“The inauguration of VSR signals the country’s readiness to attract the world’s largest technology companies and showcase our regional competitiveness in the digital space,” Marcos said during the event.
He urged global innovators to invest in the Philippines’ tech potential.
“To our visionary investors, I invite you to come explore the potential of Filipino ingenuity,” Marcos said.
“Bring your technology here! Let us shape that digital economy together—with the Filipino being your greatest asset.”
Highlighting the critical role of infrastructure in the digital age, the President said that “in today’s world, data is as critical as water and electricity.”
“We need to strengthen further our digital infrastructure, especially for critical, private, and confidential data. We need to safeguard our digital security. We need to secure our digital future,” he said.
The Chief Executive showcased the Philippines’ major digital initiatives, including the April 2024 rollout of the National Fiber Backbone Phase 1 and the expansion of the Free Public Internet Access Program, which has logged over 11 million sessions as of March 2025.
He also noted the country’s rise in the Global Innovation Index from 56th in 2023 to 53rd in 2024.
“This achievement does not make us complacent. Because we need to do more. We must continue to strive for more. And this is why this Administration is persistently taking deliberate steps to propel us to even greater heights.” (Darryl John Esguerra)
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