Submarine cable damage caused slow internet in the Philippines on October 2, affecting Globe, PLDT, and Converge users nationwide. The outage was traced to links connecting the country to Singapore and Hong Kong.
Telcos quickly rerouted traffic to other international cables to keep services online. Globe said rerouting started Thursday night and warned repairs could take weeks. PLDT confirmed the cut but assured subscribers it has enough capacity to cover the 300Gbps loss. Converge also shifted traffic to other pipelines and continues to monitor stability.
The disruption reduced available bandwidth, which led to slower speeds, higher latency, and intermittent access to sites hosted internationally. Advisories from PADECO, Converge, and UP Diliman confirmed the impact, noting offshore connections were most affected. Schools and institutions also warned of possible connectivity issues.
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said possible causes include fiber cuts, equipment failure, or sabotage, but stressed it is too early to conclude. The agency is investigating the incident.
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Repairs on the damaged submarine cable may take weeks. For now, expect slower speeds and occasional disruptions when accessing international sites.
