The Tropics at MacArthur Park, Palo, Leyte
July 7, 2025

Calling it a bridge of information and service, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the grand launch of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) Phases 2 and 3, a year after launching Phase 1 of the first and only government-owned fiber backbone project, in Palo, Leyte.

Phases 2 and 3 expand the national fiber backbone by an additional 1,781 kilometers of fiber optic cables in Regions II (Cagayan Valley), IV-A (CALABARZON), V (Bicol), VIII (Eastern Visayas), X and XI (Mindanao). It further broadens network reach, increasing connectivity across various regions in the country and extending broadband internet access to more than 600 government institutions and public spaces, benefiting approximately 17 million Filipinos, including 1.39 million unique users.

Accompanied by Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the President pressed the test equipment to launch the NFB Phases 2 and 3 officially.

In his keynote speech, President Marcos Jr. stressed the importance of having access to fast and reliable internet in today’s digital world, where it is used in nearly all aspects of everyday life such as studies, work, business, and connecting with family and loved ones.

“Ito po ay tinatawag nating Digital Bayanihan. Ito ang sama-samang pagkilos ng pamahalaan, pribadong sektor, at bawat Pilipino para siguraduhing walang maiiwan sa digital world,” he stated.

Apart from digital connectivity, the President emphasized the significance of land connectivity and acknowledged the inconveniences caused by the limited access of the San Juanico Bridge which is undergoing repair and rehabilitation to improve structural integrity. The 50-year-old bridge connects the Provinces of Leyte and Samar.

“Inatasan ko na ang DPWH at DBM na hanapan agad ito ng solusyon. Agaran tayong kumilos, at patuloy na kikilos upang muling maging ligtas at matibay ang ating San Juanico Bridge,” he said.

“Mga kababayan, mula digital connectivity hanggang sa ating imprastraktura, patuloy nating binubuo ang mga tulay ng pag-asa,” President Marcos Jr. concluded in his speech.

The National Fiber Backbone aims to provide faster and reliable internet connectivity, with around 70 million Filipinos expected to benefit from it. The project’s completion is also likely to spur growth in rural areas, with internet penetration seen to increase to 65 percent from the current 33 percent. Furthermore, it aims to lower the price of the internet to as much as US$5 per Mbps (megabit per second).

*****