At the 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Shanghai on June 19, PLDT chief operating officer and chief technology officer Menardo “Butch” G. Jimenez Jr. delivered a keynote highlighting the convergence of 5G and AI as the key to unlocking intelligent, high-speed services across industries.
“It is the power of both 5G and AI that will deliver the magic,” Jimenez told an audience of global tech leaders. “Not just one or the other. Telcos have the unique DNA to deliver both, and that’s why we believe the future of the industry depends on how we harness these two forces together.”
Jimenez said the convergence strategy aligns with the long-term vision of PLDT chair Manuel V. Pangilinan to build a “mega utility” serving the country across infrastructure verticals—telco, power, water, highways, agriculture, and media—with PLDT as its digital backbone.
“If we stopped at just providing connectivity, our revenues and relevance would eventually plateau,” Jimenez said. “We had to invest forward, and we did.”
PLDT now operates the Philippines’ largest data center network and is the only local telco currently offering GPU services, which are essential for AI processing.
These assets, Jimenez said, position PLDT to meet growing demand from conglomerates and enterprises looking for scalable, high-performance AI infrastructure.
From connectivity to intelligence
The company’s evolution from a connectivity provider to an enabler of digital transformation is at the heart of its new strategy. Jimenez outlined a three-pronged roadmap for 5G-AI leadership:
Build smarter infrastructure
Collaborate boldly with partners
Train and upskill employees at scale
“The solo mindset is outdated,” he said, emphasizing the need for strategic partnerships across sectors and regions. Internally, PLDT is investing in AI bootcamps and workforce upskilling to future-proof its teams.
“If our people don’t embrace AI, there’s no way we can lead with it,” Jimenez added. “We must believe in it ourselves before we can deliver it to our customers.”
Looking ahead
Jimenez closed his address by framing PLDT’s ambition as more than technological—it’s transformational. He positioned the company as a regional innovator prepared to export homegrown digital solutions to the wider Asian market.
“This is our dream, our vision, and our hope – that 5G and AI together will drive the next generation of growth for telco,” Jimenez said.
PLDT’s remarks at MWC 2025 mark a key moment in its push to lead the Philippines—and potentially Southeast Asia—into the next era of intelligent connectivity. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
