MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is hoping that internet rates will be cheaper once the government completes the National Fiber Backbone plan.
The DICT is seeking to accomplish Phases 2 and 3 of the fiber backbone plan, which is a program that aims to improve internet accessibility in government institutions.
Asked during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing on Thursday, January 2, if this could lead to cheaper internet, DICT Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso said that was their hope.
“Dahil sagot na ng DICT iyong libreng internet ng pamahalaan, magkakaroon ng more spectrum, more bandwidth na maibibigay itong mga tinatawag po nating mga internet providers natin na para doon sa ating mga pribadong mga mamamayan na naga-avail sa kanila. So inaasahan namin, mas magiging better iyong connectivity, mas gaganda iyong kalidad ng internet,” Paraiso said.
(Because the DICT is shouldering free internet for the government, there is more spectrum, more bandwidth that we can give our so-called internet providers, so that our private citizens will be the ones to avail them. So we expect better connectivity, better quality of internet.)
In 2024, the World Bank found that the Philippines has the most expensive internet in Southeast Asia, but has one of the slower connectivity rates.
Paraiso said that there are six phases in the project.
The NBP Phase 1 was launched in April 2024 in Pasay. It spanned 1,245 kilometers from Laoag, Ilocos Norte to Quezon City, Metro Manila. The Phase 1 powers 346 national and local government offices, as well as 3,000 free wi-fi sites.
“Phase 2 and 3 na sabay nating prinocure ay ii-implement na at hopefully matapos by March or April of this year,” Paraiso said.
(We procured for Phase 2 and 3 simultaneously and implemented them, and hopefully, it will be done by March or April this year.)
Paraiso did not mention a specific timeline for Phases 4 to 6, but the government aims to complete it by the end of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term.
The complete NFB will span downwards until it reaches Mindanao. Paraiso said that there is already a P288 million loan from the World Bank for Phases 4 and 5.
Paraiso said that the NBP allowed government offices to connect to the Govnet. Access is not just limited to offices, as students from state universities and colleges may also use it.
“The sector that talagang tina-target po natin na talagang makikinabang po talaga nito ay ang ating mga estudyante at ating mga mamamayan na nasa liblib na mga lugar na hindi nakaka-access ng internet,” he said.
(The sector that we are targeting the most are the students, as well as the citizens who live in far-flung areas that cannot access the internet.)
However, Paraiso said that entertainment sites are blocked from GovNet to ensure its proper use.
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