PLDT to double data center capacity for AI

Telecommunications firm PLDT Inc., through its data center arm Vitro Inc., is eyeing to double its data center capacity to take advantage of growing demand for artificial intelligence and hyperscalers.

At the sidelines of PLDT’s first half 2026 financial performance press conference in Makati City, Vitro president Victor "Viboy" Genuino said the data center unit is eyeing to build facility with a capacity of “not less than 100 megawatts (MW).”

PLDT operates 11 data centers nationwide with a total combined capacity of 100 MW.

"When we build our next data center, I think it has to be not less than 100 megawatts," Genuino said.

"It’s going to be big, and why that size? Because we see the demand coming in—from government, enterprise workloads, AI, hyperscalers,” he said.

For his part, PLDT chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said the site for its next data center must be carefully evaluated.

"Two essential elements must contribute to the growth of data centers: one is power... and the second issue with power is the rates," he said, adding that reliable water supply for cooling systems and a steady pipeline of local IT talent are equally critical factors.

EXPLAINER: How AI data centers heat up land

— BM, GMA News