By Lade Jean Kabagani
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emphasized the government鈥檚 commitment to providing fast, affordable, and accessible internet nationwide as he led the launch of Phases 2 and 3 of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) on Monday.Speaking at the event, the President highlighted that the ongoing rollout of government-owned fiber optic infrastructure aims to connect more regions across the country while significantly lowering internet costs for millions of Filipinos.Marcos said this will be achieved by giving telecommunications companies access to public broadband infrastructure, reducing their operational expenses.鈥淜apag buo na ang National Fiber Backbone, maaari nang mabawasan ang gastos ng mga telco at internet provider dahil may sarili na tayong imprastraktura (Once the National Fiber Backbone is complete, telecom and internet providers can lower their costs because we now have our own infrastructure),鈥 he added.鈥淢as abot-kayang internet, mas maraming Pilipino ang makikinabang (More affordable internet means more Filipinos will benefit).鈥漈he President described fast internet as a 鈥渧ital public service and necessity, not a privilege,鈥 especially for students, workers, small entrepreneurs, and rural communities.鈥淗indi na privilege ang pagkakaroon ng access sa mabilis na internet. Ito ay pangangailangan na (Having access to fast internet is no longer a privilege. It is now a necessity),鈥 he said.Marcos acknowledged that despite advances in digital technology, many areas鈥攑articularly remote and isolated communities鈥攕till suffer from poor or nonexistent internet connectivity.He lamented that some areas of the country still lack signal, forcing people to travel long distances just to find coverage.He then pledged that the government will continue its efforts until the entire nation is fully connected.Under Phases 2 and 3 of the NFB project, the government added 1,781 kilometers of high-speed fiber optic lines to the network, expanding internet coverage to underserved regions including Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Central Mindanao. This builds on the 1,245 kilometers of fiber laid in Phase 1 last year, which connected Ilocos Norte to Quezon City.Once these phases are activated, more than 600 government offices will gain access to faster internet, and approximately 17 million Filipinos are expected to benefit.鈥淧atuloy nating binubuo ang mga tulay ng pag-asa (We continue to build the bridges of hope),鈥 Marcos said.鈥淚to ang mga proyektong nag-uugnay sa atin sa taas ng kabundukan, baybayin ng dagat, o pinakaliblib na lugar (These are projects that connect us across mountains, coasts, and even the most remote areas),鈥 he added.The National Fiber Backbone is expected to boost internet penetration from the current 33 percent to 65 percent nationwide. It also aims to reduce internet costs to as low as $5 per megabit per second (Mbps).Marcos also called for a 鈥淒igital Bayanihan,鈥 urging all sectors to participate in making digital technology inclusive and accessible.Reliable digital infrastructure, he said, helps Filipinos stay informed about weather events, find job opportunities, connect with buyers for their products, and access educational resources.鈥淢akakahanap kayo ng mga online buyer para sa inyong paninda. Makakapagpanood din kayo ng mga online tutorial kung paano magluto, magnegosyo, paano magtanim (You鈥檒l find out sooner if there鈥檚 a coming storm or if there are job opportunities in other towns. You can find buyers for your products or watch online tutorials on how to cook, start a business, or farm),鈥 he added.Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda said the expansion of the NFB is a direct response to the President鈥檚 call for a government that is responsive, accessible, and technology-driven.鈥淭his is more than laying cable. We are building digital roads, carrying jobs, opportunities, and learning to every island and province,鈥 Aguda said.