Finally, a DICT that works

Just recently, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda announced that  President Marcos’ commitment to ensure internet connectivity for all public schools by the end of 2025 is nearing its goal, with the rate now at 78 percent.

Aguda also said that the government is resolute in improving internet connectivity through the expansion of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) project. To date, the project’s Phase 1 has been completed and covers more than 1,200 kilometers in area, from Laoag in Ilocos Norte to Quezon City. Phases 2 and 3 have also been launched, aimed at putting in place fiber optic internet cable to about 1,800 km area from Cagayan de Oro to Mindanao.

With the ongoing expansion of the country’s digital infrastructure, the President has also assured that internet access will reach all areas of the Philippines by the end of the year.

Finally, internet connectivity, which used to be seen as a convenience, has taken center stage and has become a core pillar of the government’s economic agenda.

Back in 2015 when it was established, nobody really paid much attention to the DICT, not even our government leaders, until the pandemic struck and internet connectivity became an essential service and part of our way of life.

Improved internet connectivity has now been recognized as a key to achieving our economic goals.

Aguda’s vision is focused on driving a digital-first economy, fostering inclusive technology for all, championing data privacy and protection and promoting transparency in governance. Central to the realization of these goals is his call for “digital bayanihan,” a collaborative effort between the DICT and various stakeholders to ensure that no Filipino is left behind in the country’s digital revolution.

Aguda, with his vast experience in the field, is the best person to lead the country to a digital future.

He served as presidential advisor on digital infrastructure in the Private Sector Advisory Council to the President and was president and CEO of UnionDigital Bank. He was also the chairman of UBX Philippines Corp., chairman of City Savings Bank, chief technology and operations officer of UnionBank, chief information officer of Globe Telecom, chief technology officer of GSIS and group chief information officer of Digitel, among others.

According to one report, his Digital Bayanihan vision involves the creation of a country that connects the farthest barangays, powers the growth of homegrown tech startups and creates millions of digital jobs for a workforce eager to compete in the global arena.

During his first 100 days in office, the DICT already activated 18,849 Free Wi-Fi sites, with 6,183 of them in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. It also rolled out 3,026 kilometers of fiber under Phases 2 and 3 of the National Broadband Program and celebrated the passage of the E-Governance Act and the Konektadong Pinoy Act.

The DICT is implementing the NBP which focuses on deploying fiber broadband networks and wireless technology to improve internet speed and affordability and as part of the program, the government has launched the National Fiber Backbone project to strengthen connectivity.

In 2024, the President approved the $288-million Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project to complete the country’s national fiber backbone and expand high-speed internet access to underserved areas.

Aguda also aims to generate eight million digital jobs by 2028 through what he calls “Trabahong Digital Program.”

DICT targets to close the year with at least 30,000 Free Wi-Fi sites nationwide, almost double the 19,000 sites as of July. Next year, the aim is to surpass the initial goal of deploying 50,000 Free Wi-Fi sites, gunning for as much as 70,000 sites.

Also in the pipeline are policy reforms in the telecommunications industry. Aguda said that there has to be transparency within the industry, explaining that there is a need to have minimum speed standards and even price regulation.

Aguda also wants to require every government agency and local governments to adopt digital services via the eGov SuperApp, which now houses several government services.

Furthermore, he wants to enable up to $9 billion in hyperscaler investments and secure digital systems through a national cybersecurity certification program.

But for the ordinary Pinoy, the problem is still the speed and cost of internet connectivity.

A report by the DICT last March showed that in 2024, while the Philippines’ mobile download speed is increasing, other ASEAN countries show a much higher download internet speed.

Using the Speedtest Global Index of Ookla, Singapore recorded a mobile download speed of 88.91 Mbps in January which increased to 129.13 Mbps in December while Malaysia also showed a big improvement from 77.69 Mbps in January to 105.36 Mbps in December. The Philippines, meanwhile, recorded a speed of 28 Mbps in January, improving to only 36.36 Mbps in December, ranking sixth for the month of December. Globally, the country ranked 77th among 103 countries.

In terms of mobile upload, DICT reported that the Philippines recorded a steady speed of around seven Mbps all throughout last year, placing it at the lowest position among ASEAN member states except for October.

In terms of fixed broadband download, Singapore showed the highest speed at 330 Mbps in December 2024, followed by Thailand with 235.86 Mbps, Vietnam with 159.32 Mbps, Malaysia with 118.63 Mbps and the Philippines at 93.76 Mbps. For fixed broadband upload, the Philippines placed fourth in December at 94.04 Mbps while Singapore still had the highest at 271.64 Mbps followed by Thailand with 204.72 Mbps and Vietnam with 132.92 Mbps.

DICT added that the Philippines’ global mobile broadband ranking fell from 62 out of 103 countries in January to 63rd out of 102 countries in March. In contrast, the country’s fixed broadband ranking climbed from 58th in January to 53rd in March.

Ookla in July last year said that fixed broadband speeds in the Philippines are gradually improving but the distribution of fixed network infrastructure across the country is uneven. In the second quarter of 2024, Luzon had the regions with the top five fastest fixed performance in the country, all reporting download and upload speeds surpassing 90 Mbps while the Eastern Visayas Region had the lowest median download speed of 38.43 Mbps.

It noted that the Philippines’ geographical layout is challenging for fiber deployment, adding that a closer private-public partnership is imperative to meet the increasing demand for better fixed broadband and narrow the gap with neighboring countries.

A World Bank 2024 report meanwhile pointed out that the country’s internet connectivity lags in affordability, speed and access, thereby curbing digital potential for citizens and businesses and is a lost growth opportunity for Filipinos.

It noted that the penetration of fixed broadband access in the Philippines is 33 percent compared to Singapore’s 111 percent, Brunei’s 108 percent, Vietnam’s 76 percent, Thailand’s 58 percent and Malaysia’s 50 percent.

The price of fixed broadband in the Philippines is among the highest in the region at 11.3 percent of the gross national income per capita, with only two countries having more costly broadband namely Cambodia at 11.5 percent and Myanmar at 15.3 percent of GNI per capita.

The report also revealed that mobile broadband figures reported similar rankings, with the Philippines having the slowest mobile download speed and costing more than many countries in Southeast Asia.

As of February 2025, the Philippines ranked 65th globally for mobile internet speeds and 58th for fixed broadband, according to Ookla.

The journey may be long and arduous but we can take comfort in knowing that we have a DICT that finally knows what it is doing and a government that has put the issue of internet connectivity at the forefront.

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