With the expected surge in artificial intelligence (AI) and high-density workloads in the coming years, ePLDT is preparing to roll out its Graphics Processing Unit-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) offerings in the country.
ePLDT, the ICT subsidiary of telco giant PLDT, made the announcement as sister firm Vitro Inc. disclosed that its flagship data center Vitro Sta. Rosa in Laguna is now open for business with a similar facility expected to be erected soon within the Southern Luzon area.
“AI-readiness is our key priority in 2025 as we provide both our public and private sector customers access to High-Performance Computing (HPC) using our AI-ready data center infrastructure where we will also host our soon-to-launch Graphics Processing Unit-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) offerings. It is also our aspiration to be the first end-to-end AI services provider in the country,” said Victor S. Genuino, president and CEO of ePLDT and Vitro Inc.
The company said Vitro Sta. Rosa (VSR) was designed to be AI-ready from the start and is capable of handling up to 50 kW per rack to cater to NVIDIA’s latest GPU chips such as the H100 and H200.
“As we continue to innovate at VSR to accommodate the growth of AI, we have outlined a roadmap for GPU stacks capable of supporting up to 50 kW now and 100 KW in the future, ensuring we meet the demands of high-density AI workloads,” Genuino added.
Th recent energization of VSR, which signaled the data center’s readiness for clients to deploy their IT equipment, was made possible through the activation of Meralco’s 115 kV switching station in Sta. Rosa.
ePLDT executives said several telecommunications providers have already established their points-of-presence (POPs) at the facility, alongside various enterprises and hyperscalers.
The facility also now offers interconnection with other Vitro sites and hosts the Vitro Internet Exchange.
More importantly, ePLDT is set to pioneer GPUaaS in the country, in partnership with Vitro Inc., a separate company formed to cater exclusively to PLDT’s data center business.
The GPUaaS, which said to be the first-of-its-kind service in the Philippines, will provide customers with on-demand access to powerful accelerated resources optimized for AI without substantial upfront investments in hardware.
GPUaaS is designed to do complex and high compute tasks such as Generative AI and Large Language Model (LLM), use cases which are meant to drive top-line revenue and reduce operating costs.
With the introduction of GPUaaS, large enterprises and government agencies can leverage AI solutions to scale up their efficiency, productivity, and growth plans, the company said.
“This cutting-edge service, underpinned by PLDT’s robust infrastructure and seamless connectivity, gives businesses flexibility and cost-effectiveness, enabling them to pay only for what they consume,” it added.
“This development is a significant step towards establishing the Philippines as a premier digital hub in the Asia Pacific, attracting cloud and AI companies to explore the country’s growing digital landscape.”
Meanwhile, Vitro Inc. has announced the launch of Vitro Academy, an initiative aimed at bridging the gap between academic learning and the demands of the rapidly growing data center industry.
“Through Vitro Academy, we are investing in the future of our industry by shaping the next generation of Filipino data center professionals. This program reflects our mission to drive innovation, foster talent, and establish the Philippines as a hub for data center excellence,” said Genuino.
In its initial phase, Vitro Academy has partnered with five educational institutions: National University, Asia Pacific College, Ateneo de Naga University, Far Eastern University-Roosevelt, and Wesleyan University.
Since its launch in July 2024, the program has enabled 371 students to complete their initial training, with the first batch of 56 passers from National University and Asia Pacific College having received their certifications.
Vitro Academy equips aspiring engineers with skills in mechanical, electrical, network engineering, and emerging ICT technologies, through three structured levels of certification.
Level 1 introduces data center fundamentals, Level 2 focuses on advanced infrastructure design and management, and Level 3 covers specialized training in sophisticated architectures, cybersecurity, and emerging data center technologies.
The program includes lectures, hands-on workshops, and mentorship from Vitro’s senior executives with over 20 years of data center operational experience.
Vitro Inc. envisions expanding the initiative by collaborating with more educational institutions nationwide. The initial partnership marks the start of a broader effort to train more students and further enrich engineering curricula in the Philippines, equipping graduates with the skills needed for employment in the data center sector.
Graduates of Vitro Academy benefit from an internship program that provides young engineers with the opportunity to apply their learnings in a real-world setting, paving the way for a career at Vitro Inc.
Vitro Academy mirrors another PLDT Group program, the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP).
For the past 21 years, SWEEP has helped produce industry-ready graduates or technopreneurs by leveraging on the PLDT Group’s network, infrastructure and technologies.
