President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to the Converge ICT Solutions Inc. data center in Angeles City underscores the government’s efforts to keep sensitive government data within Philippine borders as Executive Order (EO) No. 119 reshapes how public agencies manage digital information.
Signed this month, EO 119 updates decades-old government rules on digital transactions by introducing policies on data classification, data residency, cybersecurity, and cross-border data transfers. The order is expected to accelerate government cloud adoption while requiring agencies to ensure that critical information is protected under Philippine laws.
The policy could also boost demand for local data centers, creating opportunities for Philippine infrastructure providers as agencies move away from hosting sensitive workloads on foreign-based cloud platforms.
During the visit, President Marcos, together with Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda and other government officials, toured Converge’s 12-megawatt, Uptime Tier III Certified, AI-capable facility, which the company is positioning as a sovereign cloud platform for government agencies.
“We are preparing for the future right now. By establishing our own sovereign data center, cloud and AI infrastructure, we are safeguarding our nation’s data, bridging our islands, and ensuring the Philippines is ready for the AI era,” said President Marcos.
Converge said its Angeles Data Center allows agencies to host applications and sensitive information within the country instead of relying on overseas infrastructure. Aside from complying with data residency requirements, locally hosted systems can help reduce exposure to cybersecurity risks, improve service continuity, and keep government records under Philippine jurisdiction.
“EO 119 marks a defining moment for the digital backbone of our government,” said Dennis Anthony Uy, CEO and co-founder, Converge. “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.”
The company has been investing in cloud and data center infrastructure as demand grows from both public and private organizations. The Angeles facility also hosts the Converge Cloud platform, which is designed to support AI workloads and enterprise applications.
For the government, the shift is part of its effort to modernize public services while strengthening cybersecurity.
“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,” DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said.
As more government services move online, industry observers expect demand for domestic cloud infrastructure to grow, particularly among agencies handling regulated and mission-critical data. Data residency has also become a growing priority globally as governments seek greater control over digital assets and compliance with local regulations.
“Securing our government data locally is a crucial milestone, but the next frontier is ensuring our national infrastructure is AI-capable,” Uy said. “Converge will continue to upgrade and scale our facilities to support high-density, AI-driven workloads, strengthening the country’s readiness for AI adoption and regional digital growth.”