Globe Wants Telecom Restoration Treated Like Power After Disasters
Globe is proposing a National Utility Resiliency Plan that would put telecom restoration on par with power after disasters, with priority logistics, security support and faster permits for repair crews, plus incentives for sturdier networks.
Globe Telecom wants the Philippines to treat getting phones and internet back online after a disaster as seriously as getting the lights back on. On October 13, the Ayala-led telco proposed a National Utility Resiliency Plan, a framework that would set clear protocols for government agencies, local government units, utilities and telecom operators to work together during emergencies (BusinessWorld, BusinessMirror).
"When disaster strikes, connectivity becomes a lifeline. People need it to reach their families, receive emergency information, call for help, and coordinate relief efforts," said Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo. "Restoring telecommunications should therefore happen alongside power and other essential utilities, supported by a national framework that allows government and industry to move quickly and work together" (BusinessMirror, Daily Tribune).
Clearing the roadblocks
Under the proposal, telecom restoration teams could get priority access to government transportation and logistics when roads are damaged or impassable. Military and police personnel could help crews reach critical network sites, and local permit requirements for emergency repairs could be temporarily streamlined (BusinessMirror, Daily Tribune).
"We can build stronger networks, prepare our teams, and position resources ahead of severe weather, but there are dependencies that no telecommunications operator can address alone," Castelo said (BusinessMirror). Globe first raised the idea at the GSMA's discussion on policy principles for mobile network resilience in New Delhi, where it urged the global mobile industry group to encourage governments to adopt similar plans (BusinessWorld, Daily Tribune).
Who pays for resilience
Globe also wants the framework to consider incentives for the extra investment that sturdier networks need. "Stronger structural standards, additional backup systems, and greater network redundancy carry significant costs, making a supportive policy environment important to sustaining resilience investments while operators continue expanding and improving their networks," the company said (BusinessWorld).
The telco says it keeps investing in backup power, network redundancy and prepositioned crews and equipment in high-risk areas. It spent ₱26.3 billion in capital expenditures in the first half of 2026, about 91 percent of it on data-related network needs (BusinessMirror). Separately, Globe's newsroom has described expanded battery backup, staged mobile generators and closer coordination with the Department of Energy, NAPOCOR and the DICT to keep sites running through power outages, especially in the Visayas and Mindanao (Globe).
For now, the plan is a proposal. No government agency has announced that it will adopt it, and there is no implementation timeline yet.
