Manila, Philippines (10 December 2024) – ePLDT, the ICT subsidiary of PLDT Inc., and its data center arm, VITRO Inc., are set to drive enterprise growth by supporting the anticipated surge in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and high-density workloads in the coming years. This initiative aligns with the government's vision to position the Philippines as a "center of excellence in artificial intelligence," making it a catalyst for progress and nation-building.
AI-readiness is our key priority in 2025 as we provide both our public and private sector customers access to High-Performance Computing (HPC) using our AI-ready data center infrastructure where we will also host our soon-to-launch Graphics Processing Unit-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) offerings. It is also our aspiration to be the first end-to-end AI services provider in the country, said Victor S. Genuino, President and CEO of ePLDT and VITRO Inc.
VITRO Santa Rosa: A Milestone in AI-Readiness
VITRO Sta. Rosa (VSR) is designed to be AI-ready from Day One, capable of handling up to 50 kW per rack to cater to NVIDIA’s latest GPU chips such as the H100 and H200.
VSR will be the first AI-ready hyperscale data center in the Philippines
As we continue to innovate at VSR to accommodate the growth of AI, we have outlined a roadmap for GPU stacks capable of supporting up to 50 kW now and 100 KW in the future, ensuring we meet the demands of high-density AI workloads, Genuino added.
This milestone follows the recent energization of VSR, recognized as the Philippines' most advanced AI-ready hyperscale data center. This achievement was made possible through the activation of Meralco’s 115 kV Switching Station in Sta. Rosa, signaling the data center's readiness for clients to deploy their IT equipment. Notably, several telecommunications providers have already established their points-of-presence (POPs) at the facility, alongside various enterprises and hyperscalers.
Building on this progress, VITRO has also activated VSR's network infrastructure, marking the facility’s readiness to deliver seamless connectivity solutions tailored to clients' business needs. VSR now offers interconnection with other VITRO sites and hosts the VITRO Internet Exchange, which supports the country’s richest IP ecosystem.
First to Offer GPUaaS in the Philippines
ePLDT is set to pioneer GPUaaS in the country, in partnership with VITRO. This first-of-its-kind service in the Philippines will provide customers with on-demand access to powerful accelerated resources optimized for AI without substantial upfront investments in hardware.
GPUaaS is designed to do complex and high compute tasks such as Generative AI and Large Language Model (LLM), use cases which are meant to drive top-line revenue and reduce operating costs.
Empowering Large Enterprises and Government
With the introduction of GPUaaS, large enterprises and government agencies can leverage AI solutions to scale up their efficiency, productivity, and growth plans. This cutting-edge service, underpinned by PLDT's robust infrastructure and seamless connectivity, gives businesses flexibility and cost-effectiveness, enabling them to pay only for what they consume.
Implications for the Philippines
This development is a significant step towards establishing the Philippines as a premier digital hub in the Asia Pacific, attracting cloud and AI companies to explore the country's growing digital landscape.
It also supports PLDT’s vision of making the Philippines a hyperscale investment destination in Asia Pacific and aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9) – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
