“As of 2022, solely 77 % or 20.6 million households had been linked to the Web. That is a lot too low. Along with our personal sector companions, we’ll effectively harness the idea of widespread towers to offer connectivity to Filipinos who’re on the far finish of the final mile.”
– President Marcos Jr., SONA 2024, July 22, 2024.
“Halos labindalawang libong pampublikong paaralan pa ang walang web. Kaya sinisiguro ng DICT at ng DepEd na bago matapos ang taong ito, magkakaroon na ng koneksyon ng web ang lahat ng pampublikong paaralan.”
– President Marcos Jr., SONA 2025, July 28, 2025
I checked the comparative web connectivity of our neighbors within the ASEAN in 2022 and 2023, “People utilizing the web as % of whole inhabitants” from World Financial institution’s World Growth Indicators 2025 database, listed here are the numbers: Malaysia 97.4 and 97.7, Singapore 96 and 94.3, Thailand 88 and 89.5, Vietnam 78.6 and 78.1, Indonesia 66.5 and 69.2, Cambodia 58 and 60.7, Philippines 75.2 and 83.8.
So, the Philippines has the biggest enhance in web connectivity in a single 12 months, good. And now an enormous goal of 12,000 public faculties to have connectivity to be finished by the Division of Info and Communications Expertise (DICT) and Division of Schooling.
I checked latest reviews in The STAR associated to connectivity, plenty of optimistic tales: “DICT backs Konektadong Pinoy Act” (July 17), “DICT to launch heart vs rip-off web sites” (July 28), “Marcos vows web entry for all public faculties by finish of 2025” (July 28), “DICT: Count on 60K free WiFi websites in 2026” (Aug. 5), “Inside Philippine gov’t’s plan to upskill employees in AI” (Aug. 11).
So there may be very excessive expectations of latest DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda because the President has assigned even greater achievements from him – all 12,000 plus public faculties, plus one other 12,000 plus rural well being facilities. Tall order.
I checked the funds allocation for DICT, from the Division of Finances and Administration (DBM) Finances of Expenditures and Sources of Financing 2026, submitted to Congress final week.
DICT whole funds are as follows: P14.8 billion in 2024, P15.1 billion in 2025 and P18.9 billion in 2026. Of which the infrastructure outlays are: P9.27 billion in 2024, declined to P6.51 billion in 2025, however rise to P12.14 billion in 2026.
It’s good that DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman has added almost P4 billion subsequent 12 months to DICT given the excessive expectations and excessive targets by Secretary Aguda himself. She lower the funds for flood management initiatives by DPWH amongst others, and added funds for helpful initiatives like rural free WiFi by DICT. Good transfer, Ms. Pangandaman.
Aguda was appointed DICT Secretary final March; by June the DICT has activated 18,850 free WiFi websites, 6,180 of them in geographically remoted and deprived areas underneath the Free Public Web Entry Program (FPIAP) which installs WiFi websites in authorities places of work and faculties. Plus rolled out 3,026 kilometers of fiber underneath Phases 2 and three of the Nationwide Broadband Program, and celebrated the passage of the E-Governance Act and the Konektadong Pinoy Act.
So 18,850 free WiFi websites in June, then 19,000 final July. I learn from varied sources his targets: at the very least 30,000 finish of this 12 months, and as much as 50,000 in 2026, as much as 70,000 in 2027, and extra, carry connectivity to extra Filipinos. The goal to cowl 12,000 public faculties and one other 12,000 rural well being facilities will be finished this 12 months. Assist enhance rural medical services to have entry to web to advertise telemedicine use, retailer well being data nationwide, amongst others.
I checked who is that this man Aguda to be given such an enormous activity nationwide and delivered fast leads to his first three months in workplace. From varied internet sources I noticed, he’s half-decade youthful than me in UP Diliman, completed BS Arithmetic, proceeded to UP Legislation and graduated as class valedictorian.
Bizarre, a mathematician who enjoys summary formulation, Greek equations, infinity numbers and fractals, would go into legislation and endure studying maybe a whole lot of pages of phrases per day, and nonetheless excel to graduate as valedictorian. The man has thick and dynamic gray matter between his ears.
He desires of “Digital Bayanihan” – that authorities, personal corporations, academe, and communities to work collectively to shut the digital divide, join the farthest barangays, energy the expansion of homegrown tech startups, create hundreds of thousands of digital jobs for a workforce who can compete and thrive within the world enviornment.
Good dream. Elevated connectivity nationwide implies that even distant communities may have entry to extra financial alternatives, from outsourcing, e-commerce, app improvement, and even authorities tech companies.
As a former telco government, Aguda is claimed to need extra transparency inside the business. He additionally desires to require each authorities company and native governments to undertake digital companies through the eGov SuperApp, which now homes a number of authorities companies. The app gained the United Nations E-Authorities Award from the UN Division of Financial and Social Affairs, has drawn over 14 million registered customers and facilitated greater than 200 million transactions nationwide.
Extra desires – allow as much as $9 billion in hyperscaler investments, safe digital methods by way of a nationwide cybersecurity certification program, extra reasonably priced web exterior of free public WiFi. And a daring motto: “To the critics: take a look at us. To the folks: belief us. To the long run: we’re already constructing it.”
In the meantime that is one other problem to the Division of Vitality and the personal power gamers – extra energy era from dependable and non-intermittent sources, extra electrical energy provide even to distant barangays.
Extra electrical energy plus extra connectivity equals extra financial alternatives, extra prosperity for our folks.
