MANILA – Every Filipino, rich or poor, young or old, of whatever profession, whether they live in cities or in farms, must have access to telecommunications and the Internet.
But for it to happen, government needs to bridge the digital divide among Filipinos.
That is exactly what the National Broadband Plan (NBP) seeks to achieve under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of Bagong Pilipinas.
And the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is spearheading this transformative initiative to connect the entire archipelago and connect all Filipinos through the NBP.
DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy calls it the “national highway for telecommunications,” and establishing it is both the challenge and ultimate goal of the NBP.
“Communication has an enormous impact on our economy, our food security, our health, education, economic activity,” Sec. Uy said. “That’s what our President sees, which is why you’ll notice in each of his SONAs, he mentions digitalization. We need to do [the National Broadband Plan] because it is a strategy to elevate the Philippines to the global stage.”
Connectivity for all
One important component of the NBP is the DICT’s Free Wi-Fi for All program, which aims to bring internet connectivity to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, or GIDAs.
Through the program, the DICT hopes to provide invaluable opportunities to rural communities, especially in online learning and distance education.
In addressing the status of the program, Sec. Uy described it as tackling the “last mile” in their overarching connectivity mission.
“The target of the Wi-Fi is the ‘last mile’ — remote barangays, islands, and mountainous areas. But that’s not the only consideration. We need to address where the Wi-Fi will come from, the bandwidth that will supply this.”
The source of this bandwidth is where the NBP comes into play.
Explained Sec. Uy: “The National Broadband [Plan] is the national highway for telecommunications. And from that national broadband highway, we will create tributaries, smaller networks to reach the municipalities, provinces, and eventually the barangays. That’s what we call the middle mile and last mile. And this connectivity is not easy to achieve because the Philippines is an archipelago.”
Unique geographic challenges
As an archipelago, the Philippines faces unique challenges in implementing nationwide connectivity.
Sec. Uy explained that having to build across multiple islands is far more difficult than working with a single contiguous landmass.
He also emphasized the importance of a Philippines-specific infrastructure plan.
“It doesn’t follow that simply because a certain technology was successfully implemented by another country—for example, Singapore—that the same technology would work for the Philippines,” he said.
Potential impact on Filipino communities
Sec. Uy noted that the Free Wi-Fi for All program has established over 14,000 sites nationwide.
And with a new funding increase, that number could go as high as 50,000.
With an extensive reach powered by the NBP, the Free Wi-Fi for All program opens up tremendous opportunities for Filipinos.
Sec. Uy highlighted a wide array of scenarios where nationwide connectivity could have a significant impact. He described how villagers in mountainous areas previously would need to cross long distances back and forth just to access rural banks for purchases, remittances by OFW relatives, or depositing money from businesses and sending to family.
But with the DICT’s programs in place, e-wallets and online banking make it possible to perform all these transactions right from one’s phone. Another example is telemedicine.
For instance, if several children in a community have diarrhea, they can now consult doctors via phone instead of relying on traditional healers or risking deaths due to lack of medical access.
Doctors can diagnose issues like food poisoning and provide appropriate treatment guidance.
Sec. Uy also described how the NBP could even enable early-warning systems for agencies like the Department of Agriculture.
For example, if pigs are dying in a community, people can connect with the DA online, share symptoms and pictures, and quickly identify issues like foot and mouth disease or African swine flu.
This allows for early quarantine measures, improving food security by preventing the spread of disease to livestock in other villages.
Addressing mounting cybersecurity concerns
Sec. Uy acknowledged that cybersecurity is a crucial part of the NBP.
“That is part of the DICT’s mandate. Why? Because cybercrime is growing in scale and sophistication.”
Part of the cause of these mounting cybersecurity concerns is the growth of our digital footprint.
“Before, when we connected to the Internet, we used our desktop computers. Then, we moved from desktops to laptops…and from there, we moved to cell phones which could connect to the internet…and now we’ve moved to smart devices.”
Sec. Uy likened it to a building with no windows, only doors—which meant that only these points of entry had to be monitored. But as time went on, windows were added to the building, increasing the access points for thieves. This reflects how the growth of our digital footprint has increased the number of vectors through which malicious actors could attack.
President Marcos has ensured that all these issues are addressed concurrently with the NBP’s rollout.
He issued Executive Order No. 58, which enforces the adoption of the DICT’s National Cybersecurity Plan (NCSP) 2023-2028. 3 EO 58 mandates that LGUs, government agencies, and other stakeholders cooperate towards the successful implementation of the NCSP, while requiring the DICT to submit bi-annual status and progress reports.
The NCSP is a comprehensive plan that outlines security policies, threat response protocols, and even cybersecurity upskilling in the Filipino workforce, as part of a proactive framework intended to respond to current and future cyber threats.
A legacy of a unified Philippines
At the launch of the National Fiber Backbone—a core component of the NBP—in April 2024, President Marcos described the program as the “infrastructure that will open employment opportunities, improve market efficiency, attract foreign investment, and stimulate livelihood across the different sectors of our economy and our society.”
He added, “More importantly, we understand that in order for Filipinos to reach their full potential, we must invest in a fast and reliable Internet.”
Through the NBP, President Marcos is building the foundation of a legacy of a unified Philippines, taking its well-deserved place in the international arena.
Other countries have taken note of the Philippines’ digitalization projects, and some have even asked for support and consultation in implementing similar programs.
“It’s somewhat heartwarming, because it’s never happened in our history. We always thought that we would be dependent on others. We would ask help from others on how they can help us progress,” said Sec. Uy.
