STT GDC on track to start operations by Q2 next year

MANILA, Philippines — ST Telemedia Global Data Centers (STT GDC) Philippines yesterday topped off the construction of the largest data center in the Philippines, putting it on schedule for completion next year.

The Ayala Group’s data center builder STT GDC Philippines marked the structural completion of STT Fairview, putting it on schedule for initial activation by the second quarter of 2025.

STT GDC Philippines president and CEO Carlo Malana said the achievement made in building the project signals that the company is ready to become a major player in data centers.

Malana said STT GDC Philippines is looking forward to the completion of what would become the biggest data center in the country so far.

STT Fairview is designed to have a capacity of 124 megawatts (MW).

Once completed, STT GDC Philippines expects it to attract the attention of some of the tech giants in the region. In particular, the project can handle the data demand of enterprises reliant on artificial intelligence (AI) given its power and security features.

“With STT Fairview nearing completion, we are eager to provide our customers with world-class and AI-ready data center solutions which set a new standard in connectivity and in innovation,” Malana said.

STT Fairview will also raise STT GDC Philippines’ data center count to seven, which combine for a capacity of 150 MW, all running on renewable energy.

STT GDC Philippines operates multiple data centers in Metro Manila, Cavite and Davao. It has plans on building more depending on demand growth.

The Ayala Group has allocated at least $1 billion in building STT Fairview. Currently, it is one of the largest investments made in a single data center in the Philippines.

STT GDC Philippines believes that data center demand will be booming in the future, especially as the world transitions to an AI era. The Department of Trade and Industry forecasts that AI will contribute up to 12 percent, or around $92 billion, to the economy by 2030.

Also, AI’s market size is expected to grow by an average of 29 percent yearly. As such, it should be valued at $3.5 billion by 2030, from $772 million right now.

STT GDC Philippines is a joint venture among Globe Telecom Inc., Ayala Group and STT GDC in Singapore, which manages 95 data centers in 11 countries.

Among data center players in the Philippines, telco giant PLDT Inc. dominates the race buildup with 11 in its portfolio, boosted by the recent opening of its largest one in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.