President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has moved to significantly solidify the Philippines’ position as a premier digital hub in Southeast Asia following a high-level meeting with top executives from DAMAC Digital. The discussion centered on a massive investment plan, headlined by the establishment of the country’s largest data center in Laguna.
The meeting took place on Tuesday at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Abu Dhabi, where President Marcos met with Mr. Hussain Sajwani, Founder and Chairman of DAMAC Digital. The engagement was a cornerstone of the President’s two-day working visit to the UAE, which also saw the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
During the dialogue, President Marcos and Mr. Sajwani explored strategic collaborations in digital infrastructure, cloud services, and AI-driven technologies. The President emphasized that this partnership aligns perfectly with the administration’s goal of making the Philippines a regional leader in high-density computing.
“We are excited about this planned investment to establish the biggest data center in the country,” President Marcos stated. “This will position the Philippines as a critical hub for data and innovation in the region.”
To ensure the success of the project, the President guaranteed high-priority status for DAMAC Digital’s operations, noting that the government is fully committed to developing the nation’s digital backbone.
DAMAC Digital, the infrastructure arm of the Dubai-based DAMAC Group, recently underwent a global rebranding in June 2025 to align with its vision of becoming a world leader in AI-intensive workloads. The company’s entry into the Philippine market is a major component of its US$3 billion Southeast Asia strategy, which aims to achieve 250 MW of operational capacity by 2026.
Key highlights of DAMAC Digital’s capabilities include:
Hyperscale Support: Infrastructure designed for wholesale, retail colocation, and massive cloud services.
AI-Ready Design: Specialized facilities built to handle the high-density power and cooling requirements of Artificial Intelligence.
Global Footprint: Operations across 11 countries, including the UAE, USA, Saudi Arabia, and Europe, with a global target of 4,000 MW capacity.
The meeting underscored a “whole-of-government” approach, with the President accompanied by a delegation of key Cabinet officials, including:
Ma. Cristina Roque, Trade and Industry Secretary
Henry Aguda, Information and Communications Technology Secretary
Frederick Go, Acting Finance Secretary
Dave Gomez, Acting Presidential Communications Secretary
Alfonso Ver, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE
Kathryna Yu-Pimentel, Special Envoy for Trade and Investment
This investment in Laguna is expected to generate high-value jobs for Filipino tech professionals and provide the necessary infrastructure for local enterprises to scale their digital operations globally.
