PLDT seeks faster submarine cable repair approvals in the Philippines

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PLDT seeks cable repair approvals

Highlights

PLDT urges the Philippine government to streamline emergency repair permits for cable vessels to speed up restoration of damaged submarine cable systems.
PLDT, Globe Telecom, and Converge ICT Solutions have jointly proposed a $500 million nationwide undersea fiber-optic network, currently under government evaluation.
PLDT shares increased P7, or 0.59%, closing at P1,200 on Thursday following calls for network resilience and digital infrastructure investments.

Emergency repair approvals and network resilience

As reported by BusinessWorld Online, PLDT is urging the government to streamline permits and clearances for specialized cable repair vessels that need to enter Philippine waters during emergencies. The company said the current process can slow the restoration of submarine cable systems damaged by earthquakes, fishing activity, ship anchors and other maritime incidents.

Arvin L. Siena, PLDT first vice president for network design and engineering, said a clearer procedure for emergency repairs is needed to speed up service restoration. PLDT also called for closer coordination between the government and telecommunications operators to develop and protect the country’s submarine cable infrastructure.

Albert V. Villa-Real, president and chief executive officer of PLDT Global Corp., said submarine cable systems are now critical infrastructure for telecommunications, financial transactions, government services and other digital activity. He added that stronger cooperation between industry and the government could help the Philippines build a more resilient subsea network and draw more investment into digital infrastructure.

Broader digital infrastructure plans

PLDT said telecommunications operators are investing in additional submarine cable systems, alternative network routes and network redundancy to improve connectivity. The push for faster repair approvals comes as the sector expands capacity to support cloud services, data centers, artificial intelligence and other digital services.

In August, the Department of Information and Communications Technology said PLDT, Globe Telecom, Inc., and Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. had proposed a $500 million nationwide undersea fiber-optic network to expand connectivity across the country. The proposal remains under government evaluation.

PLDT shares rose P7, or 0.59%, to close at P1,200 on Thursday.

Our earlier coverage of Philippine sovereign bond reforms explained how the planned shift in pricing conventions and targeted inclusion in a major emerging-market bond index could broaden the investor base and improve liquidity. We also noted that these financial-market upgrades are not enough on their own: long-term gains still depend on fiscal credibility and follow-through on wider structural reforms, including stronger infrastructure execution and a deeper domestic investor base.

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