Think tank Stratbase Institute on Sunday pressed the government and the private sector to prioritize digital infrastructure projects, warning that the Philippines risks being left behind in the global digital economy.
In a statement, Stratbase noted that the country continues to trail the fast-growing global data center market due to inadequate infrastructure and the absence of clear policies to meet digital demands.
Stratbase president Victor Andres ‘Dindo’ Manhit noted the Philippines lags behind its Southeast Asian neighbors in attracting investments for hyperscale data centers and cloud infrastructure.
Citing reports from Synergy Research Group and Grand View Research, he said the global data center market is forecast to grow to $652 billion by 2030.
Data from Cloudscene, Reuters, and Data Center Dynamics showed that Malaysia and Indonesia secured digital infrastructure investment worth $16.7 billion and $5 billion, while the Philippines only captured $1.35 billion in data center commitments, primarily from STT GDC-Ayala and PLDT.
“Policymakers and business leaders must urgently align national infrastructure and data governance policies so that the Philippines won’t miss out on billions in potential investment, if current trends on the global data center market persist,” Manhit said.
He added the Philippines “holds a comparative advantage” in the data sovereignty aspect due to the country’s Data Privacy Act and rollout of Model Contractual Clauses for cross-border data transfers.
Manhit also emphasized that positioning the country as a leader in the digital economy is not just about technology but a “battle for billions and for our future.”
With this, he said a long-term national digital infrastructure strategy must be finalized and there should be stronger partnerships between the government, telecommunications companies, and the private sector.
“We need targeted energy incentives to bring down the cost of running digital facilities. We must ramp up STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] education and invest in real AI skills training. And above all, we must ensure our data policies stay open, innovation-friendly, and trusted—while still safeguarding national interests,” Manhit emphasized.
