The Philippines remains behind its Asian neighbors in digital infrastructure, with fewer than 38,000 cell sites serving over 113 million mobile users—well short of the 50,000 needed. By comparison, Indonesia has more than 121,000 sites, Vietnam around 90,000, and even Myanmar has overtaken the Philippines in tower density.

Globe Telecom continues to lead efforts to bridge this gap, investing ₱56.2 billion in 2024 to expand and upgrade its network. As of early 2025, Globe has built 487 new towers, upgraded nearly 4,000 sites with LTE, and activated 235 new 5G sites, bringing 5G connectivity to over 9.5 million devices nationwide.

Despite covering 96.13% of the population—over 106 million people—around 4.2 million Filipinos still lack access to reliable service. Globe is extending coverage to remote and underserved areas, with 600 operational sites in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) and a target of 700 by year-end. Industry plans aim to build 1,000 more towers in these communities between 2025 and 2028.

“Every tower we build brings Filipinos closer to opportunity, better education, stronger businesses, and more connected communities,” said Globe President and CEO Carl Cruz.

Globe stressed that delays in permits, site acquisition, and local restrictions continue to challenge expansion. The company is urging streamlined processes to accelerate deployment.

Strengthening tower density and digital backbone, Globe says, is critical to keeping the Philippines competitive in Asia’s fast-moving digital economy—where connectivity is no longer optional, but essential for progress.