The big three local telcos: PLDT, Globe Telecom, and Converge ICT Solutions are teaming up for a massive subsea project. And this time, it isn’t just for internet reliability, but also another purpose entirely.
The operators have jointly submitted a PHP 30.4 billion proposal to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to build a new domestic subsea fiber-optic cable network, according to a report citing DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda.
If greenlit, the proposed subsea route will span the length of the country from Batanes down to Palawan, with dedicated branch loops serving key areas across the Visayas and Mindanao. On top of boosting overall national bandwidth capacity, the network will link directly into existing international landing stations to provide better traffic routing and redundancy for both local and overseas data.
What makes this subsea build particularly interesting is the hardware involved: the cables are designed to include integrated sensors capable of detecting real-time seismic activity from earthquakes and tsunamis.
Sec. Aguda noted that this live monitoring feature would double as a critical tool for national defense and early disaster preparedness, giving the telecom infrastructure a dual-purpose role beyond carrying daily internet traffic.
The proposal is currently under evaluation by the DICT. If approved, the subsea network will run alongside and complement the government’s ongoing National Fiber Backbone project, with phases four and five of the terrestrial rollout slated for completion before the end of the year.
Construction on the subsea project could take up to two years once approved. Since the plan is still under review, official build schedules and deployment timelines have yet to be finalized.
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