MANILA, Philippines — Telco giant PLDT Inc.’s information and communications technology (ICT) subsidiary yesterday launched the country’s first sovereign cloud, which will store highly sensitive government data and applications.
Speaking at the Philippine Digital Convention 2023 yesterday, ePLDT president and chief executive officer Victor Genuino said ePLDT Pilipinas Cloud (ePPC) would support the administration’s cloud-first policy by hosting government data and applications in a sovereign cloud.
As a sovereign cloud, ePPC will provide a secure, flexible and cost-effective platform to store and process data strictly within the host country’s borders and be subject to local data protection laws and regulations.
“We are proud to take the lead in launching ePPC, the Philippines’ first sovereign cloud infrastructure. This affirms our support for the government’s digitalization push and our commitment to continuously power the digital future of the nation by providing the necessary infrastructure that enables inclusive economic growth,” PLDT and Smart Inc. president and CEO and ePLDT chairman Alfredo Panlilio said.
At present, many countries are adopting the use of a sovereign cloud to maintain control and security over their mission-critical data in compliance with each country’s respective local regulations.
“With ePLDT’s technical expertise and experience in delivering multi-cloud and data center solutions, backed up by our unique understanding of the Philippine government’s requirements, we are confident we can ensure the seamless deployment and management of the country’s first sovereign cloud aligned with global standards,” Genuino said.
As the government is intensifying its digitalization efforts, the use of ePPC is expected to help government agencies and local government units effectively address data sovereignty and cybersecurity issues.
Aside from strict enforcement of the country’s data protection law and regulations, ePPC also ensures that all sensitive data, including classified information related to national security and confidential personal information of citizens, are stored and processed locally in a secure and compliant manner, without risk of foreign surveillance or interception, and cyber attacks.
The use of ePPC is also expected to benefit ordinary Filipinos through enhanced delivery of government services as agencies are able to better manage their operations.
The sovereign cloud of ePLDT is also expected to help reduce latency and improve the performance and response time of critical applications, which will lead to better user experience.
For his part, Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy lauded PLDT Group’s move to develop the country’s first sovereign cloud infrastructure.
“Their dedication and expertise to advancing the local ICT industry make them the ideal partner to drive this initiative,” he said.
For the government, digital infrastructure and cybersecurity are both necessary in building a safe and secure digital environment.
“We look forward to the positive impact of ePPC in fast-tracking digitization and putting the Philippines on the world map as an emerging leader in cloud computing technology,” Uy said.