PASAY CITY, Philippines — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has called for an intensified collaboration between the government and the private sector to address the persistent digital divide in the Philippines, emphasizing that reliable and affordable internet is a fundamental necessity for national progress.
Speaking at the Philippine Telecommunications Summit 2026 on Thursday, February 5, the President outlined several key reforms and initiatives aimed at improving connectivity, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
Key Legislative and Infrastructure Reforms Marcos highlighted the impact of the Konektadong Pinoy Act, which he credited with removing long-standing barriers to competition and efficiency:
- Infrastructure Sharing: The law mandates co-location among providers, ending “wasteful duplication” and lowering the overall cost of deploying network infrastructure.
- National Fiber Backbone: The President confirmed the completion of Phases 1, 2, and 3 of the National Fiber Backbone Project, a critical backbone for high-speed data transmission across the islands.
Bridging the Connectivity Gap Acknowledging that geographic challenges like mountainous terrain and coastal locations often hinder service, Marcos noted specific programs designed to assist vulnerable communities:
- Free Public Internet: The government now maintains over 9,500 active free Wi-Fi access points in more than 5,000 public locations.
- Bayanihan SIM Card Project: This initiative provides subsidized SIM cards with monthly data allocations to public school students, teachers, and indigent families to ensure they remain connected for education and essential services.
Addressing Systematic Delays The President pointed to “delays in permits, right-of-way restrictions, fiber cuts, and power interruptions” as major factors that continue to slow down the digital transformation. He urged local communities and government units to work in sync with private telecommunications firms to clear these bottlenecks.
“The government, the private sector, and local communities must unite—because no single sector can face these challenges alone,” Marcos stated, underscoring that improved internet access directly translates to expanded economic opportunity and better education for every Filipino.
The summit, organized by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), served as a platform for stakeholders to commit to accelerating broadband deployment throughout the archipelago.