Globe has formally joined the Candle Cable System consortium, a regional collaboration led by Meta, SoftBank Corp., IPS Inc., TM, PT XLSmart Telecom Sejahtera Tbk, and NEC Corporation. The group is building an 8,000-kilometer, 24-fiber-pair submarine cable system linking Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The system is expected to begin operations in 2028 and will provide up to 570 terabits per second of total capacity, placing it among the highest-capacity systems in the region.
Globe joins the consortium as both investor and landing party. The cable will be delivered to Globe’s Nasugbu Cable Landing Station in Batangas, complementing the Philippine landing in Baler. Together, the West and East coast landings strengthen national resilience against typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural hazards, reducing single points of failure and reinforcing business continuity.
“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. This investment reflects our commitment to help Filipino companies compete and grow in a fast-moving digital world.”
Candle uses a 24-fiber-pair configuration that delivers higher capacity and lower latency. This scale supports the rapid growth of cloud computing, artificial intelligence development, and enterprise digitalization across Asia Pacific. A direct route to Japan and Singapore places the Philippines closer to key AI and cloud hubs, improving performance for mission-critical workloads.
Raymond Policarpio, Vice President and Head of Strategy Management and Business Investments at Globe, emphasized that global reach must translate into local value. “International capacity is only one part of the equation. 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.”
The Candle Cable System supports the growing need for high-capacity routes that enable advanced analytics, cross-border collaboration, and cloud-based operations. This aligns with the Philippine government’s digitalization and Cloud First direction, which calls for diversified subsea paths and stronger international gateways.
Globe’s participation covers planning, financing, and construction of the new landing branch in Nasugbu, reinforcing its long-term commitment to building a more competitive and digitally capable Philippines.
