ANGELES CITY (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inspected Converge ICT Solutions’ data center in Angeles City on July 24, underscoring the government’s push to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure and secure government data.
Joined by Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda and other government officials, the President toured the state-of-the-art facility, which is strategically positioned to support the country’s data sovereignty agenda.
The visit came after the issuance of Executive Order (EO) No. 119, which updates decades-old policies governing how government agencies manage digital transactions.
Under the executive order, the government seeks to strengthen cybersecurity and support secure digital transformation by establishing unified rules on data classification, data residency, and cross-border data transfers.
To help meet the government’s new digital standards, Converge is offering its 12-megawatt, Uptime Tier III Certified, AI-capable data center in Angeles City, home to its Converge Cloud system, as a localized sovereign cloud for government agencies.
The facility will enable state agencies to migrate their systems from foreign-hosted servers to a secure infrastructure operated entirely within the Philippines.
Converge Chief Executive Officer and co-founder Dennis Anthony Uy said EO No. 119 marks a defining moment for the country’s digital backbone.
“We built this data center and our entire national digital infrastructure for this exact purpose: to meet the strict demands of highly regulated sectors where absolute control over data is non-negotiable,” Uy said.
He also commended President Marcos Jr. for championing the policy, saying it would not only secure the country’s digital progress for years to come but also drive vital new investments into the local data center sector.
“Securing our government data locally is a crucial milestone, but the next frontier is ensuring our national infrastructure is AI-capable,” he said.
By keeping government data within the Philippines, agencies can reduce cybersecurity risks, ensure uninterrupted services even during international internet disruptions, and keep critical citizen records under the legal protection of Philippine courts.
Aguda emphasized the importance of safeguarding government information while remaining open to technological innovation.
“Data is the foundation of our digital future. We must protect critical government information while ensuring that the Philippines remains open to innovation, cloud technologies, and global digital partnerships,” Aguda said.
Positioned as a strategic hub, the data center in Angeles City supports the development of a secure digital backbone for the public sector and the country’s growing digital economy. (CLJD/RPQ, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)
