DICT lauds PLDT Group’s ‘sovereign’ cloud infrastructure at PH Digicon 2023: VISION

The government will need the close cooperation of the private sector for the Philippines to smoothly navigate the road towards its digital transformation destination, a route that the Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy has described as ‘one fraught with major hurdles.’

HAND-HOLDING: Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy sought the private sector’s close cooperation to ease and accelerate the country’s digital transformation during the recent PH Digicon 2023, VISION: Reimagine Tomorrow’s Enterprise. Sec. Uy notes during his keynote address that the digital transition will be fraught with challenges but could be hurdled with the private sector’s help.

In his keynote address at the Philippine Digital Convention 2023, or PH Digicon 2023, VISION: Reimagine Tomorrow’s Enterprise, the much-awaited annual industry event hosted by PLDT Enterprise, Uy emphasized how initiatives taken by the private sector such as ePLDT’s launch of a sovereign cloud infrastructure could help hasten and ease the country’s development of a digital ecosystem.

“The journey for the country’s digital transformation will be quite challenging,” said Uy, whose agency’s tasked to plan, pursue, and promote the development of the information and communications technology industry. “But we are not doing it alone. Your collaboration in the private sector such as ePLDT’s launching of Pilipinas Cloud will surely complement our digital transformation initiatives,” he added.

Uy said that the ePLDT sovereign cloud infrastructure “will be institutionalized across all agencies to accelerate and support digital transformation.”

Uy added that the sovereign cloud by ePLDT will help “accelerate and support digital transformation” in the country because it would “enhance collaboration, minimize cost of legacy systems, and improve online public services.”

SOVEREIGN CLOUD: ePLDT, the ICT subsidiary of PLDT Inc., presents to government its sovereign cloud infrastructure meant to foster the Philippines’ digital transformation during the PH Digicon 2023, VISION: Reimagine Tomorrow’s Enterprise. Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy (2nd from left) receives a plaque in recognition of the PLDT Group and the national government's partnership on ePLDT Pilipinas Cloud, an infrastructure hailed as a “game changer” in the government’s digitalization initiatives, from ePLDT President and CEO Victor Genuino (center). Also in photo, from left, are Mitch Locsin, PLDT and Smart First Vice President and Head of Enterprise and International Business Groups; Noel Lorenzana, PLDT and Smart Senior Vice President and Chief Transformation and Customer Officer; and Jojo Gendrano, PLDT and Smart Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer.

During PH Digicon 2023, ePLDT, the ICT subsidiary of PLDT, launched its sovereign cloud infrastructure, ePLDT Pilipinas Cloud (ePPC), that will primarily host highly sensitive and mission-critical government data and applications to help secure and fast-track the digital transformation initiatives of government.

Victor Genuino, ePLDT President and CEO, said the group-owned and operated ePPC is proof that the Philippines can keep up with the rest of the world by employing the latest in cloud computing technology. He said this digital infrastructure provides a secure, flexible, and cost-effective platform for data storage and processing dovetails with other initiatives of the PLDT Group intended to foster the country’s digital revolution.

“With ePLDT’s technical expertise and experience in delivering multi-cloud and data center solutions, backed up by our unique understanding of the Philippine government’s requirements, we are confident we can ensure the seamless deployment and management of the country’s first sovereign cloud aligned with global standards,” said Genuino.

Mitch Locsin, PLDT and Smart First Vice President and Head of Enterprise and International Business Groups, underscored during the digital conference how the Philippines is “resolute in ambition to become the hyperscaler hub of Asia Pacific.”

“But beyond this visionary goal lies something even more significant. At the very core of this digital transformation is the spirit of partnership. The essence of collaboration between the private and public sectors nationwide defines the significance of our journey,” Locsin added.

Sec. Uy said the government is looking for further collaboration with the private sector to sustain the country’s digital transition, especially in protecting Filipinos against cyber threats.

“We cannot afford to have distrust and fear of digital technologies due to cybercrimes and scams derailing our digital transformation efforts. To address this, we have crafted the national cybersecurity plan for 2023-2028 which provides concrete steps that we will take to enhance our country’s cyber resiliency,” he said.

He said the DICT’s initiatives to bolster cyber resiliency includes protecting critical information infrastructure, upskilling the local workforce in cyber security, enhancing international cooperation, and improving the national emergency response teams’ capacities for incidence monitoring and penetration testing.

“The work to leave a lasting legacy for Filipinos has just begun,” Uy said.

PH Digicon 2023: VISION is powered by Amdocs, Cisco, Huawei Technologies Phils. Inc., Nokia, Google Cloud, Samsung, ZTE Corporation, Avolution Inc., Fortinet, Soprano Design, CSG, Dell Technologies Philippines, Ericsson Telecommunications, Inc., and Maya Philippines, Inc.