The data center sector in the Philippines continues to receive significant investment interest of which Santos Knight Frank is tracking a total of 220 MW worth of expressed interest, with 90 MW recorded in Quarter 2 of 2022 alone. It is projected that the existing 94 MW total IT capacity of data centers will likely double in the next two to three years. "Several factors are driving interests in the Philippines, including the new Singapore rule on data center construction and the potential incentives for data center investment in the Philippines under the Strategic Investment Priority Plan. Some of the best places for data centers are industrial parks, and we look forward to seeing more industrial park developments to host data center facilities. With about 8,700 MW capacity across the Asia Pacific, the Philippines data center market still has a wide room for growth."-SKF

Furthermore, the ever-increasing demand for connectivity and digitalization drives the growth of global digital infrastructure. The massive amount of capital required to upgrade digital networks is also opening up opportunities for investors in the data center asset class. As investors carve out differentiated strategies and business models to compete in today's interconnected and digital business paradigm, investment in the next generation of data centers will continue to grow.

The First session of the forum will focus on introductory data on how a data center works, its' history and framework, how a data center can be developed in the Philippines, and what incentives and benefits investors can get when investing in a data center project in the Philippines - to be presented by Monica Gonzalez, Director of Occupier Strategy & Solutions and Santos Knight Frank's Data Centers Lead.

In the Second Session to be presented by Atty. Alain Charles Veloso, Partner at Quisumbing Torres, he will focus on key legal due diligence areas for acquiring or investing in data centers in the Philippines, including legal and regulatory framework for Data Centers, Incentives available, and legal challenges and issues to address to encourage more investors in the sector.

They will be joined by key government representatives from the INTER-AGENCY INVESTMENT PROMOTION COORDINATION COMMITTEE [IIPCC] , including invited panelists from the DTI, BOI, PEZA and NEDA.