PLDT completes link to AsPac subsea cable

March 13, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Telco giant PLDT Inc. has completed its cable-laying efforts in Baler, Aurora and Digos, Davao, hooking the Philippines to a new subsea infrastructure in Asia-Pacific for data transfer.

PLDT yesterday finished its cable-laying initiatives in the branches of the Apricot Cable System in Baler and Digos, infusing the Philippines with more capacity for data exchange.

Once Apricot is activated, PLDT’s international capacity will expand by 33 percent to more than 140 Tbps, enabling the telco to process more data to and from Asia-Pacific neighbors.

PLDT SVP and head of enterprise business group Joseph Gendrano said the telco is building up the Philippines to become a data center hub through investments in subsea cables like Apricot. In turn, the country can attract tech giants to expand here.

Underwater cables like Apricot provide direct access for data transfer with content sources in the countries involved. Apricot links Singapore and Japan, with branches located in the Philippines, Guam, Indonesia and Taiwan.

“Our continued investment in our network, including our international submarine cable systems like Apricot, are part of our enduring commitment to ensure the success of our partners, boost the economy propelling the country’s digitalization aspirations and help position the Philippines as a strategic data center hub in Asia and the Pacific,” Gendrano said.

Gendrano underscored the importance of Apricot to PLDT’s network, as the project crosses Asia-Pacific without having to go through the contested waters of the West Philippine Sea.

Telcos find it difficult to maintain and repair subsea cables that pass through the West Philippine Sea due to China’s aggression against any and all Philippine-flagged vessels in the area.

Apricot runs for 12,000 kilometers across seven territories in the region. It features 12 fiber pairs, each capable of transferring 17.6 Tbps, for a total capacity of more than 211 Tbps.

Outside of Baler and Digos, Apricot traverses Tuas, Singapore; Tanjung Pakis, Indonesia; Agat, Guam; Toucheng, Taiwan; and Minamiboso, Japan. PLDT has teamed up with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp., Chunghwa Telecom, Google and Meta in building Apricot.

The Asia Direct Cable (ADC) System, of which PLDT is a part of, is scheduled to be activated in the first quarter of the year, boosting the telco’s international capacity to above 100 Tbps.

The ADC offers the shortest access to PLDT’s largest data center VITRO Sta. Rosa, opening up opportunities for data linkage with countries in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia.