President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has greenlit a $288-million initiative aimed at strengthening internet access in remote parts of Mindanao, with a focus on schools and health centers. 

Approved during the 18th board meeting of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in Malacañang, the Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project (PDIP) is financed through a World Bank loan and will roll out 772 free WiFi sites in the region, prioritizing public schools, state universities and colleges and rural health units. 

“This project is essential for closing the gap in internet access,” emphasized Jeffrey Ian Dy, undersecretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), highlighting its potential to boost GDP with increased internet use.

He explained that the many parts of Mindanao, like the Caraga region, have a dismal internet penetration rate of 17%, Mindanao far from the country’s average of 73.6%.

This project is essential for boosting economic growth, Dy emphasized, citing research that says every 10% rise in internet use could lead to about a 1.38% boost in GDP, he said. 

“This project will enable us to connect more Filipinos to markets and networks, spurring economic development,” said NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, highlighting the transformative potential of broadband services.

Dy also stressed the importance of security measures to prevent misuse, including child pornography. “It’s a very technical discussion but we’ll be putting in devices, we’ll be putting in censors to ensure that this network is not being used for illegal activities,” he said during the press briefing.