PLDT chief urges Philippine telcos to consider consolidation
Manuel V. Pangilinan says weaker profits and recurring network costs raise questions about sustaining four providers.
PLDT chief Manuel V. Pangilinan has proposed consolidation among Philippine telecommunications operators, saying one or two providers may eventually need to exit as the industry faces pressure on profits and continued infrastructure spending.
Pangilinan pointed to profit declines at PLDT, Globe Telecom Inc. and Converge ICT Solutions Inc. over the nine months to September as evidence of the industry's difficulties. He called for operators to discuss the potential benefits of combining businesses, arguing that maintaining four separate networks requires annual investment without guaranteed adequate returns.
Dito CME Holdings Inc., the parent of Dito Telecommunity Corp., had not yet published its third-quarter financial results. Dito's first-half net loss tripled to ₱11.29 billion.
The operators continue to budget for network investment. Converge planned capital expenditure of ₱17 billion to ₱20 billion for 2026, although project delays had limited spending to ₱9.9 billion so far. Pangilinan also expressed a downbeat outlook for the sector in 2027, citing economic risks and political uncertainty.
