Philippine developers urged to make projects fiber-ready as vacancies weigh on property demand

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Philippine developers urged fiber-ready

Highlights

Metro Manila office vacancy is nearing 20% and over 30,000 condominiums remain unsold, driving pressure for fiber-ready developments.
Integrating fiber infrastructure at the project design stage reduces costs and shortens tenant move-in times compared to costly retrofitting of completed buildings.
Globe Telecom proposes adding fiber-ready requirements to the National Building Code of the Philippines to mandate early telecom coordination for new developments.

Connectivity planning during project design

As reported by BusinessWorld Online, property analysts say developers should integrate telecommunication infrastructure at the design stage to avoid weaker leasing and sales performance in a competitive market.

Colliers Philippines Director for Research Joey Roi Bondoc says buildings that are not fiber-ready could struggle to attract renters, buyers and office occupiers. He says digital connectivity is now part of the checklist for many companies and households, making early provision of fiber facilities more important as hybrid work remains in place.

Bondoc says developers that skip these requirements risk extending vacancies at a time when office vacancy in Metro Manila is nearing 20% and unsold ready-for-occupancy condominiums exceed 30,000 units. He adds that redundancy in internet connections is particularly important for business process outsourcing firms and other corporate tenants that require support for multiple providers.

Cost, retrofitting and code review implications

Savills Philippines Research Manager Kathrina Angelica Bautista says older properties often face constraints because they were built before fiber internet became widely used, leaving them with outdated cabling and congested utility risers. She says offices with fiber-ready infrastructure are more appealing because tenants can begin operations faster.

Bautista says installing conduits, risers and dedicated telecommunication rooms during construction is less costly than retrofitting completed buildings, which can require structural changes and disrupt existing occupants. That cost difference is adding to calls for earlier coordination between developers and telecom providers.

The analysts' comments follow Globe Telecom, Inc.'s push for developers to work with telecommunications companies before construction begins. Globe President and Chief Executive Officer Carl R. Cruz earlier says early coordination can help avoid redesign costs and clarify infrastructure needs, while the company has also proposed adding fiber-ready facilities and in-building connectivity requirements to the review of the National Building Code of the Philippines.

Our earlier article on SEON’s expansion in the Philippines explained how the fraud-prevention provider is targeting banks, remittance firms, and payments businesses as digital finance grows and compliance requirements tighten. It highlighted SEON’s partnership with Exist Software Labs as a route to local market data and customer access, reflecting how stronger digital infrastructure and risk controls are becoming essential as more transactions move online.

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