Marcos backs Amazon’s $5-billion Digital Infrastructure Investment in PH

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has committed to back the plan of Amazon Web Services (AWS) Inc. to invest $5 billion or over P300 billion in the country to build digital infrastructure in the next 15 years, according to Malacañang.

During a courtesy call in Malacañang on Wednesday, Marcos and AWS officials discussed expanding the company’s presence in the country as part of the administration’s push to accelerate digital transformation and position the Philippines as a regional hub for digital infrastructure.

Palace press officer Claire Castro said AWS presented to Marcos its proposed Digital Infrastructure Investment in the Philippines, which is expected to strengthen the country’s digital transformation initiatives and create more jobs for Filipinos.

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“President Marcos welcomed the proposal and pledged the government’s support for the planned investment,” she added.

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According to the Presidential Communications Office, the proposed investment includes the possible establishment of an AWS Region in the Philippines, a cluster of data centers that would provide cloud computing services directly from the country.

The Philippines currently hosts an AWS Local Zone in Manila, which provides low-latency computing for selected services but depends on the parent Singapore Region and offers only a subset of AWS services.

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If the proposed AWS Region in the Philippines is realized, it would be aligned with the Marcos administration’s push for digital transformation by accelerating e-government initiatives, attracting more technology and AI investments, and strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure.

It would also create high-value jobs and position the Philippines as a more competitive regional hub for digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence.

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Last month, Amazon announced the launch of AWS Region in Taipei, along with plans to invest more than $5 billion to support the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of its data centers in Taiwan. /cb

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