ICT

While the Philippines has a robust economy with sound macroeconomic fundamentals, its telecoms sector still lags behind global standards, in large part due to a lack of competition and limited investment. In spite of this, the domestic telecoms market is ripe for change and set to welcome a major new player, following the pres¬ident’s promise to accelerate network modernisation. Consequently, rising capital expenditure in communi¬cations infrastructure, as well as spectrum reallocation, is set to revolutionise the digital landscape. Under the national Build, Build, Build agenda, the incumbent administration wants to transform the Philippines into an upper-middle income nation by 2022. To achieve this target, limitations on foreign ownership within the telecoms industry will be lifted to attract investment. This chapter contains interviews with Ernesto R Alberto, Executive Vice-president and Chief Revenue Officer, PLDT; and President and CEO, ePLDT; and Hans Bayaborda, Managing Director, Microsoft Philippines.