Marcos: Data as crucial as electricity, water

Manila Bulletin

President Marcos stressed that in the digital age, data is becoming as crucial as water and electricity, emphasizing the need to further the country's digital infrastructure.  Gracing the grand launch of the Philippines' first artificial intelligence (AI)-ready data center built by the PLDT Group in Santa Rosa, Laguna—VITRO Santa Rosa (VSR) Data Center, Marcos recognized the growing need to invest in more digital infrastructure. (Video courtesy of RTVM)  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/4/23/marcos-data-as-crucial-as-electricity-water  Join this channel to get access to perks:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5664f6TkaeHgwBly50DWZQ/join   Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin   Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin  Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin  Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin   #ManilaBulletinOnline  #ManilaBulletin  #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00I would just like to add to what Mike was saying when he said,

00:08you congratulated EPLDT and Vitro for what they have done.

00:13I now would like to add to that and congratulate the Philippines

00:18because we now have this incredible facility

00:22which makes us AI ready and definitely in the running

00:26to compete with our neighbors and our partners all around the world.

00:32And that is a very important achievement.

00:37That important milestone is what we mark here today in Santa Rosa,

00:42this launch of the Vitro Santa Rosa or VSR Data Center.

00:47It stands as proof that the Philippines is future ready for the digital realm.

00:52There is some work left to do, but we are ready to do that work

00:57so we can be an equal player in the world of data and data processing.

01:04This launch also reflects our commitment to regional development.

01:08We bring the digital progress beyond outside of Metro Manila

01:12into the heart of our provinces.

01:14Fully energized, artificial intelligence ready,

01:17built to support hyperscale, cloud, enterprise workloads.

01:22In other words, the Googles, the Amazons, the Facebooks of this world.

01:26Those who are not techie might ask,

01:28ano ba yung data center na yan?

01:30A data center is akin to a warehouse.

01:33Parang warehouse yan.

01:35Ngunit, imbis na yung mga gamit,

01:38ang naka-storage dun,

01:40instead of boxes of products,

01:42we store digital information

01:43such as emails, videos, business records, government files,

01:48even the apps on your phone.

01:50It keeps everything running safely and securely 24 hours, 7 days a week.

01:57Every time you attend a virtual meeting,

01:59every time you book a plane ticket,

02:01every time you pay online,

02:03go shopping,

02:04even stream your favorite movies and drama series,

02:07that data passes through a facility like this.

02:12In today's world, data is as critical as water and electricity.

02:18We need to strengthen further our digital infrastructure,

02:22especially for critical, private, and confidential data.

02:27We need to safeguard our digital security.

02:30We need to secure our digital future.

02:34So how important, in fact,

02:36is a secure digital information system?

02:40Itong mga panahon na ito,

02:42paano natin nalalaman kapag

02:44in a relationship na ang dalawang tao?

02:48Nowadays, they call it an Instagram hard launch.

02:52Posting of romantic pictures sa IG

02:54na may caption,

02:55found my forever or such like.

02:58Meron ding soft launch.

03:00I look at the social media post of Sando,

03:02siya nagturo sa akin ito.

03:04Paano mo naman malalaman

03:06kung hiwalay na,

03:07nag-unfollow at nag-block na kagad.

03:10Burahan ang picture.

03:12Pero minsan,

03:13napapasilip pa rin sa archive

03:15na nagbapakasakaling may naiwang pang picture

03:18para may memories.

03:20Buti na lang,

03:21may data center na tayo.

03:24Kasi kahit siya ay hindi na bumalik,

03:26yung alala,

03:28nakaka-backup pa rin,

03:30yan ang sinasabi natin,

03:32tech has your back.

03:33As a powerful tool, though,

03:36in the digital age,

03:38this mega-infrastructure

03:39provides essential protection

03:42for sensitive data

03:43across the public and private sectors.

03:46The launch of this landmark ICT infrastructure

03:49is also a testament

03:50to the people-centered future we are building.

03:54A Philippines

03:54where technology and human connection

03:57go hand-in-hand

03:59and exist seamlessly.

04:01Over the past couple of years,

04:03the Philippines has made meaningful strides

04:06in the digital space.

04:07In the Global Innovation Index,

04:09out of 133 economies,

04:11we rose from 56th place in 2023

04:14to 53rd place in 2024.

04:18It is an improvement

04:19that reflects our collective effort

04:21to accelerate Philippine progress

04:23through innovation.

04:25But this achievement

04:26does not make us complacent

04:28because we need to do more.

04:30We must continue to strive for more.

04:34And this is why

04:34this administration

04:35is persistently taking deliberate steps

04:38to propel us

04:39to even greater heights.

04:41In April of 2024,

04:44we launched

04:45the National Fiber Backbone Project Phase 1.

04:49The NFB will deploy fiber optic cable

04:51and wireless technology

04:52required to enhance

04:53internet accessibility

04:54and speed nationwide.

04:56We aim to complete the entire project

05:00by 2028.

05:03Through the Free Public Internet Access Program,

05:05we have established

05:06more free Wi-Fi sites nationwide

05:08with more than 11 million user sessions

05:11recorded as of March 2025,

05:15including in GIDA areas

05:17or geographically isolated

05:18and disadvantaged areas.

05:21Additionally,

05:22to ensure energy reliability

05:23reliability

05:24as well as create

05:25an investor-friendly environment,

05:28the Department of Energy

05:29through its Energy Virtual

05:31One-Stop Shop System

05:32is streamlining

05:34the applications

05:35and permitting process

05:36for energy projects.

05:38This will ensure

05:39that we have enough power

05:40to support

05:41our hyperscale data centers,

05:43including companies

05:44that want to build

05:45their own renewable energy facilities

05:48that can generate power

05:49for self-use.

05:51With these efforts

05:53of creating

05:53a more digitally connected

05:55and energy-aware environment,

05:57the inauguration of VSR

05:59signaled the country's readiness

06:01to attract

06:02the world's largest

06:03technology companies

06:04and showcase

06:05our regional competitiveness

06:07in the digital space.

06:09More than that,

06:10this technological development

06:12is an investment

06:13on the future

06:14of every Filipino.

06:16The Filipino student

06:17who studies

06:18and conducts research online,

06:19the small business owner

06:21who relies on social media

06:23and e-commerce,

06:24the Filipino worker

06:25who lives far

06:26from his or her family,

06:28counting on technology

06:29to bridge that distance.

06:32This technological infrastructure

06:34strengthens connection,

06:36not just digitally.

06:38It ensures that innovation

06:39fosters connection,

06:41brings opportunities,

06:43and uplifts lives.

06:45Alongside infrastructure,

06:46we are equipping our people

06:49with the requisite expertise,

06:51anchoring on our broader goal

06:53under the Digital Workforce

06:55Competitiveness Act.

06:57This will build

06:58a workforce

06:59that is future-ready,

07:01inclusive,

07:02and able to thrive

07:03in the digital economy.

07:05Our job

07:06in the government

07:07is to create

07:07the conditions for growth.

07:09But real progress

07:10comes from partnership,

07:12from trust,

07:13commitment,

07:13and the shared vision.

07:14Of course,

07:16we would not be here today

07:17without the steadfast partnership

07:18of our friends

07:19from the Vitro

07:20and EPLDT Group.

07:22Thank you for your vision,

07:24for your trust,

07:24and most especially

07:25in your confidence

07:26in the Filipino people.

07:28And to our visionary investors,

07:31I invite you

07:31to come to explore

07:33the potential

07:33of Filipino ingenuity.

07:36Bring your technology here

07:38that has shaped

07:39the digital economy

07:40together

07:41with the Filipino

07:42being your greatest asset.

07:45So as we celebrate

07:46this event,

07:47let us remember,

07:49the bagong Pilipinas

07:50we aim to achieve

07:51is not just about rebuilding,

07:53it is about reimagining

07:54and transforming.

07:56A nation that embraces

07:57digital transformation

07:58is a nation

07:59that secures

08:00inclusive progress.

08:03Once again,

08:04congratulations to EPLDT

08:06for the successful launch

08:07of Vitro Santa Rosa.

08:08Maraming maraming salamat

08:10at mabuhay

08:12ang bagong Pilipinas.

08:14Magandang umaga

08:14sa inyo lahat.

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