A new partnership between Globe Telecom Inc. and Starlink would accelerate efforts to bring reliable internet access to far-flung and disaster-prone areas across the country, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday.
Speaking at the ceremonial signing of a memorandum of agreement at the Globe Tower in Bonifacio Global City, Mr. Marcos said the collaboration marked “a huge step forward toward a more progressive, connected, and equitable Philippines,” underscoring the administration’s push for inclusive digitalization.
“With the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between Globe and Starlink, we take a huge step forward toward a more progressive, connected, and equitable Philippines,” he said.
Under the partnership, Globe and Starlink will roll out Direct-to-Cell (D2C) satellite-powered mobile connectivity in the Philippines, making it the first country in Southeast Asia and the second in Asia to introduce the service, according to officials.
The D2C service allows compatible smartphones to connect directly to Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellites without the need for additional hardware or special applications, providing basic internet services such as messaging and data when terrestrial networks are unavailable.
President Marcos said the technology could be particularly critical during typhoons and disasters, when cell towers are damaged and communications are disrupted.
“When cell towers can fail and networks can go silent, this service can mean the difference between isolation and connection, between uncertainty and reassurance,” he said.
The President reiterated that digital inclusion remains a key priority of his administration, noting that many communities across the archipelago remain underserved by traditional telecommunications infrastructure.
“From the very beginning of this administration, we have been very clear: The future of the Philippines must be and will be digital, and it must be inclusive,” Mr. Marcos said.
He said the Globe-Starlink initiative complements ongoing government programs to strengthen digital infrastructure, including the National Fiber Backbone and the Free Wi-Fi for All Program, as well as efforts to connect geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
The signing ceremony was attended by Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda, Globe Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Globe President and CEO Carl Cruz, and Starlink Senior Partnerships Manager Damien Innes, among other officials.
