SINGAPORE telecommunications giant Singtel has reaffirmed a commitment to expand its investments in artificial intelligence, cloud technologies and data center infrastructure in the Philippines, Malacañang said on Thursday.
The commitment was said to have been made during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s meeting with Singtel Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon, Globe Telecom President and CEO Carl Cruz, and Ayala Corp. Vice Chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala on the sidelines of the president’s visit to Singapore on Wednesday.
Singtel executives briefed Marcos on the company’s ongoing investments in telecommunications, digital services and data centers, which are expected to generate high-value jobs and strengthen the country’s technology infrastructure.
“The Philippines is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for investments in the digital economy,” Marcos said in a social media group.
“Singtel Group’s continued expansion in AI, cloud technologies and data center infrastructure will create more high-value jobs and strengthen the digital backbone that supports businesses, innovation and economic growth,” he added.
“Investments like these help ensure that the opportunities of the digital age translate into real benefits for the Filipino people.”
Officials also highlighted the establishment of NCS Philippines, a joint venture between Singtel’s technology services arm NCS and Globe Telecom’s digital solutions subsidiary Yondu.
The partnership expanded NCS’ Philippine workforce from 150 to about 1,200, boosting its capabilities in digital transformation, cloud computing and artificial intelligence services.
Singtel also underscored the expansion of ST Telemedia Global Data Centers (STT GDC) in the Philippines, including the new STT Fairview facility in Quezon City and the ongoing STT Cavite 2 development.
The projects are expected to strengthen the country’s position as an emerging regional hub for digital infrastructure while supporting businesses’ increasing demand for secure and reliable data storage and cloud services.
The Department of Trade and Industry, meanwhile, on Thursday said that Singapore-based private equity firm ABC Impact also reaffirmed a commitment to support Ayala’s AC Health in expanding access to quality health care across the Philippines.
This was discussed during a meeting in Singapore between Marcos and representatives from the Temasek Trust, ABC Impact and the Ayala Group.
The company’s expansion, expected to support around 10,000 direct health care and retail jobs in the country by 2027 was welcomed by Trade Secretary Cristina Roque.
“This investment is a vote of confidence in the Philippines and in Filipino health care workers. ABC Impact’s partnership sends a clear signal to other investors about where this country is headed,” Roque said.
“By supporting the expansion of hospitals, clinics and pharmacies across the country, this investment will bring health care services closer to Filipino communities while creating quality jobs for health care professionals and retail workers,” she added.
The Trade department said that AC Health aimed to expand its network to at least 10 hospitals, 300 clinics and 1,150 pharmacies nationwide by next year. The plan is expected to support around 10,000 direct health care and retail jobs.
