In line with its goal of making internet services fast and affordable.
Last Thursday, February 5, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. spoke at the Philippine Telecommunications Summit 2026 in Pasay City, which aims to garner commitments from various stakeholders to improve and strengthen the country’s broadband connectivity.
During his speech, he mentioned that the government, through the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), is working to improve internet services, as well as furthering coverage in the country.
The President said part of the reforms include the enactment of the Konektadong Pinoy Act in late 2025, which he said removed the long-standing barriers that slowed progress and limited competition by opening the field to wider participation.
It is done by dispensing with the requirement for a congressional franchise to construct, install, or operate data transmission networks.
“The law mandates infrastructure sharing and co-location among providers—ending wasteful duplication, lowering deployment costs, and ensuring that every single peso spent delivers real value to our public,” told Marcos.
In addition to that, the reforms also include building the backbone of a more connected government with Phases 1, 2, and 3 of the National Fiber Backbone Project already completed.
The program has expanded reach and delivered internet access to around 690 government agencies and benefited nearly 17 million transacting public in total.
Under the Free Public Internet Access Program, the government also now maintains over 9,500 active free Wi-Fi access points in 5,057 public places.
Moreover, the Bayanihan SIM Card Project also sees the provision of subsidized SIM cards with monthly data allocations to public school students, teachers, and indigent communities.
The Chief Executive expressed gratitude to the private sector for its commitment to investing more in the Philippine telecommunications sector.
“Kumilos tayo na may isang hangarin: ang maghatid ng pag-asa, ng ginhawa, at pagkakataon sa bawat Pilipino,” President Marcos emphasized as he then looked to address the broadband access challenges in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) in the country.
These connectivity, he said, gaps affect real lives, limit access to education, constrain economic opportunity, and slow national progress.
He also noted that delay in permits, right-of-way restrictions, fiber cuts, and power interruptions widen the divide.
“Ito ang dahilan kung bakit mahalaga ang ating pagtutulungan. Kailangang magkaisa Ang pamahalaan, ang pribadong sektor, at mga lokal na pamayanan—sapagkat walang iisang sektor ang kayang harapin ang mga hamong ito.”
He then thanked the private sector for their commitment to investing more in the country’s telecommunications sector, and local government units for their cooperation in improving internet services across the country.
“We look forward to greater connectivity and coverage, so that faster and more reliable communications will reach more lives and more will be touched by this technology,” said the President.
