Is Philippines’ laws on underwater cables lagging behind its digital hub goal?
Por Sam Beltran — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement The Philippines This Week in Asia Economics Is Philippines’ laws on underwater cables lagging behind its digital hub goal?
A leading telco executive says bureaucracy is slowing cable repairs carried out by specialised vessels in Philippine waters
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Sam Beltran Published: 5:36pm, 19 Oct 2026 Updated: 6:00pm, 19 Oct 2026
The Philippines’ telco industry wants the country to become a regional digital hub anchored by stable underwater cables, but a leading executive and analysts warn that slow approvals for repairs, limited monitoring and fragmented official oversight could undermine the ambition.
At a forum on archipelagic governance for subsea cables, PLDT, the Philippines’ largest telecommunications company, called for greater cooperation among government agencies and further reforms to expand the vital digital nodes connecting the country to the world.
While the Philippines’ strategic location in Asia-Pacific presented an opportunity for it to be a key connection point for submarine cables, it would need to invest in high-value assets and simplify approvals for cable deployment and repair work, Albert Villa-Real, president and CEO of PLDT Global, said at the forum on September 29, according to a report by the Philippine Star.
“The Philippines should not think of itself simply as the end point of these international cables. Our ambition should be to become a major digital crossroad of Asia-Pacific,” he added.
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