The Philippines secured commitments for satellite connectivity, cybersecurity cooperation, and hyperscale data center investments during a working visit to New York City led by Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on March 9 to 10, according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
DICT secretary Henry Aguda, who joined the presidential delegation, met with global technology companies and ICT stakeholders as part of efforts to expand the country’s digital infrastructure and attract technology investments.
The DICT said it obtained commitments from satellite providers Amazon LEO and Astranis to deploy new satellite services in the Philippines. The technologies involve a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network from Amazon and a geostationary satellite from Astranis.
According to the agency, the systems are intended to improve Internet connectivity in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), where broadband access remains limited.
The government also announced cybersecurity partnerships with Microsoft and security firm CAPE.
Under the arrangement, CAPE will provide secure mobile communication systems for government and defense operations, while Microsoft will deploy cybersecurity technologies designed to detect and mitigate online threats, including disinformation campaigns and crimes involving online sexual abuse or exploitation of children.
The DICT said these capabilities may also be used to help secure digital systems related to upcoming elections, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) polls later this year and the 2028 national elections.
Separately, the DICT said it secured commitments from Blue Energy and Crusoe to build hyperscale data centers in Clark, Pampanga.
The facilities, expected to be developed within three to six years, are planned to support cloud computing, artificial intelligence workloads, and large-scale data processing.
The projects are also expected to integrate nuclear and renewable energy sources to power the infrastructure.
The initiative includes a proposed “data embassy” framework that would allow partner countries and organizations to retain jurisdiction over their data while hosting it on infrastructure located in the Philippines.
During the visit, Aguda also met with members of the New York ICT Advisory Council and administered the oath of office to its core members.
He presented the government’s ongoing digital initiatives, including the expansion of the National Fiber Backbone, the rollout of the eGovPH Super App, and other programs aimed at improving digital services and encouraging technology investments.
“The agreements and engagements in New York underscore the Philippines’ growing role as a destination for strategic digital investments and global technology collaboration,” the DICT said.
