Connect with us

News

PH eyes top 3 in SEA Internet connectivity by 2028

Published

on

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy

According to Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy, the country is 6th in Internet penetration among Southeast Asian countries, a notable jump from its previous 9th spot. (File Photo: Department of Information and Communications Technology – DICT/Facebook)

CAPAS, Tarlac – The Philippines is poised to rank third in Internet connectivity in Southeast Asia, with the government’s continued investment in improving connectivity.

According to Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy, the country is 6th in Internet penetration among Southeast Asian countries, a notable jump from its previous 9th spot.

“We were able to do that in less than two years,” Uy said Friday during the second day of the “Build Better More” Infrastructure Forum at the New Clark City.

“We aim that if we continue in this trajectory, of 14 percent increase in our index in the past years, then I’m hoping that by 2028, we would probably be the top three in ASEAN,” he added.

Uy noted the importance of continued investment in improving the country’s Internet connectivity to remain competitive and at par with its neighbors.

“Our ASEAN neighbors are not sitting back and relaxing, they are also infusing huge amounts of investments in their Internet connectivity. So, we need to double what they are putting. If they are putting one peso, we need to put two pesos because we’re the ones trying to catch up,” he said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. recently approved the USD288 million Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project (PDIP), which according to Uy, seeks to complete the national fiber backbone of the country and bring high-speed Internet connection even in disadvantaged areas.

To be financed through official development assistance from the World Bank, the project is a flagship initiative of the DICT and involves the construction of a public broadband infrastructure network.

Free Wi-Fi program

Uy also reported that there are 13,462 free Wi-Fi sites in 1,401 cities and municipalities across the country, including 3,040 Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs).

A total of 9.8 million Filipinos have benefitted from the DICT’s Free Public Internet program, he said, adding that the DICT is looking to reach 125,000 free Wi-Fi sites nationwide by 2028.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Maria in Vancouver

Lifestyle2 weeks ago

Nobody Wants This…IRL (In Real Life)

Just like everyone else who’s binged on Netflix series, “Nobody Wants This” — a romcom about a newly single rabbi...

Lifestyle3 weeks ago

Family Estrangement: Why It’s Okay

Family estrangement is the absence of a previously long-standing relationship between family members via emotional or physical distancing to the...

Lifestyle2 months ago

Becoming Your Best Version

By Matter Laurel-Zalko As a woman, I’m constantly evolving. I’m constantly changing towards my better version each year. Actually, I’m...

Lifestyle2 months ago

The True Power of Manifestation

I truly believe in the power of our imagination and that what we believe in our lives is an actual...

Maria in Vancouver3 months ago

DECORATE YOUR HOME 101

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Our home interiors are an insight into our brains and our hearts. It is our own collaboration...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Guide to Planning a Wedding in 2 Months

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Are you recently engaged and find yourself in a bit of a pickle because you and your...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Staying Cool and Stylish this Summer

By Matte Laurel-Zalko I couldn’t agree more when the great late Ella Fitzgerald sang “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

Ageing Gratefully and Joyfully

My 56th trip around the sun is just around the corner! Whew. Wow. Admittedly, I used to be afraid of...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

My Love Affair With Pearls

On March 18, 2023, my article, The Power of Pearls was published. In that article, I wrote about the history...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

7 Creative Ways to Propose!

Sometime in April 2022, my significant other gave me a heads up: he will be proposing to me on May...