Telecommunications company Globe Telecom is investing in a new international submarine cable that aims to make internet connectivity in the Philippines faster, more stable, and less vulnerable to outages.
Globe has joined the Candle Submarine Cable System consortium, a regional group led by Meta, SoftBank Corp., IPS Inc., Telekom Malaysia, PT XLSmart Telecom Sejahtera Tbk, and NEC Corp.
The project involves building an 8,000-kilometer subsea cable system connecting Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Once completed in 2028, the system is expected to deliver up to 570 terabits per second of capacity, making it one of the highest-capacity networks in the region.
For everyday users and businesses, this means faster connections, lower lag, and more reliable access to cloud services, streaming, and digital platforms.
Globe will serve as both an investor and a landing partner, with the cable connecting to its Nasugbu Cable Landing Station in Batangas. This will complement an existing landing point in Baler, Aurora. Having landing stations on both the west and east coasts helps reduce the risk of nationwide outages caused by typhoons, earthquakes, or cable cuts.
“Candle raises the bar for the country’s digital backbone,” said KD Dizon, vice president and head of Globe Business. “With the Nasugbu and Baler landings, we are giving enterprises a more resilient path for cloud workloads, AI development, and global operations. Businesses cannot afford uncertainty, so our focus is on infrastructure that stays ready even when conditions are tough.”
The cable uses a 24-fiber-pair design, allowing it to carry more data at faster speeds while reducing delays. This is important as demand grows for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital services across Asia Pacific.
A direct connection to major tech hubs like Japan and Singapore is also expected to improve performance for businesses that rely on real-time data and global platforms.
“International capacity is only one part of the equation,” said Raymond Policarpio, VP and head of Strategy Management and Business Investments at Globe. The real advantage comes from integrating the Candle Cable System directly into our extensive domestic fiber network. By linking this international capacity into our nationwide infrastructure, we ensure that high-speed and low-latency connectivity supports enterprises, small businesses, and mobile and broadband customers across the archipelago.”
Globe’s role includes planning, financing, and building the Nasugbu landing branch, reinforcing its push to expand the country’s digital infrastructure and support long-term economic growth.