Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, Pasay City
April 19, 2024
“I have made it clear since the start of my term that one of the top priorities that this Administration recognizes is to create a Digital Philippines. We went to our people and we asked them what the problems are. And the response was, as expected, our people want to receive fast, reliable and affordable internet services, and our agencies equipped with the best information technology tools that are available,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. remarked in his keynote message as he led the grand launch of the National Fiber Backbone Phase 1 in Pasay City.
Noting the importance of internet as the backbone of trade, communications and transactions within and among communities, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) set out a long-term and multiphase program to undertake the first and only government-owned National Fiber Backbone to invest in a fast, reliable and affordable internet that will be provided to the Filipino people, as well as equip government agencies with the best information technology tools available.
“Spanning 1,245 kilometers, the NFB Phase 1 is composed of 28 nodes from Laoag, Ilocos Norte, down to Roces, Quezon City. It will also have an initial 600 Gbps optical spectrum capacity to serve the needs of the government and communities along the way. It means that it will bring high-speed internet access to at least 14 provinces in Northern and Central Luzon, two National Government Data Centers, and four BCDA ecozones,” the President said.
“Furthermore, it will empower 346 national and local government offices connected to GovNet, boosting their overall operational efficiency and generating more than 145 million pesos in potential savings annually. Additionally, it will extend a digital lifeline to more than 3,000 Filipinos and different Wi-Fi Sites, enabling direct internet access for approximately 750,000 beneficiaries in Regions I, III, and here in the NCR,” he added.
The Chief Executive gave his firm assurance that even at its onset, the National Fiber Backbone Phase 1 will make a significant impact on internet connectivity and in the day-to-day activities of ordinary Filipinos, thereby allowing the state in guaranteeing the people’s enjoyment of the internet as a basic human right.
“Let us remain steadfast in our belief that working side-by-side, pressing on, and keeping our promises – one by one, we will attain a Bagong Pilipinas that fosters a more secure, comfortable and fulfilled life for everyone,” President Marcos Jr. ended in his message.
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