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
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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
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NewsTranscript
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.