Vertiv says Philippines on track to reach 1.5-GW data center capacity target

US-BASED infrastructure and data center firm Vertiv expects the Philippines to achieve its target of 1.5 gigawatts (GW) in data center capacity by 2028, driven by surging demand and the entry of new players.

“From our perspective with our clients, we see that they’re expanding their data center. The current data centers that they’ve built are filling up. So, there will be an environment for them to build,” Vertiv Country Manager for the Philippine market Nico Echavarria said in a briefing on Wednesday. 

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said last year that the Philippines’ data center capacity could reach 1.5 GW by 2028 as more operators are expected to enter the market and existing players expand their facilities.

However, current capacities only stand at roughly 200 megawatts (MW). 

The demand for data center growth is being fueled by artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, backed by government support, according to Jordan Koh, Vertiv’s Senior Director for Emerging Markets Asia.

“From a supply capacity perspective, the Philippines is committed to providing the infrastructure needed to support new AI workloads,” Mr. Koh said, adding that much of the demand for scaling up data center adoption is being driven by sectors like banks and business process outsourcing, which are increasingly embracing the use of AI. 

He said that emerging technologies are enabling operators to shift locations, citing the rise of modular data centers or those prefabricated units that can shorten typical construction timelines by six to eight months.

Vertiv is a provider of infrastructure and technologies for data centers. The company generated total revenues of $10.2 billion in 2025. 

For this year, the company expects double-digit growth, Mr. Koh said, adding that Vertiv considers the Philippines as one of its most important markets in the region as the country is positioned to capture the growing demand for data center capacity. 

“The Philippines is one of the key growth emerging markets in Asia. I think it is commonly known that the Philippines is strategically located between Asia and the US that provides a very advantageous position for the Philippines when it comes to data centers,” he said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose