The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Friday, Dec. 22 celebrated the soft launch of the first phase of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) program at the Novotel Hotel in Quezon City.
Jeffrey Ian C. Dy, DICT Undersecretary for Connectivity Cybersecurity and Upskilling, underscored the significance of the initiative in constructing a sovereign connectivity infrastructure for national and local government units.
"One of the program's major components is the National Fiber Backbone, which is a demand-responsive, neutral fiber backbone, which makes internet readily available for government entities and other DICT last-mile projects such as the Free Public Internet Access Program," Dy said.
The NFB is a vital component of the government's National Broadband Program (NBP) under the DICT, which aims to enhance the country's ICT infrastructure and improve internet connectivity.
The NFB will activate the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines' (NGCP) dark fiber (unused fiber-optic cables) and commission the laying out of fiber optic cables along 123 sites in the Philippines.
Phase 1 of the project spans from Laoag to Metro Manila, covering a 1,245 kilometers of Fiber Optic Cable network.
"Upon full activation of the project by March 2024, we will be able to establish optical spectrum capacity for a minimum of 14 provinces spanning Northern and Central Luzon along with Metro Manila, four BCDA (Bases Conversion and Development Authority) eco-zones, and two National Government Data Centers," Dy said.
Moreover, Dy explained that phases two and three of the NFB project are expected to be 75 percent completed by July 2024.
"Phases 2 and 3 expand the national fiber backbone by another 1,782 kilometers of fiber optic cables in Regions 2, 4A, 5, 8, 10, and 11, covering 14 provinces in Luzon including Metro Manila, three provinces in Visayas, and three provinces in Mindanao," he said.
The DICT Undersecretary also pointed out that the measure creates information security zones to protect government information assets and data being transmitted across the network.
"The NFB is essentially an avenue for our government to enhance its resilience against cyber threats, which ultimately leads to enhanced national security," Dy said.
Meanwhile, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy emphasized that phase one of the NFB program will showcase the 100 gigabit per second (Gbps) capacity of a government-owned broadband network, benefiting at least three Points of Presence (PoPs) and 48 other government facilities.
"Also, 10 Gbps capacity shall be cascaded to 176 government facilities in Metro Manila, including 16 identified PoPs and 160 non-PoPs," Uy said.
Moreover, the DICT chief acknowledged the efforts of the DICT team behind this project, led by Undersecretary Dy and Assistant Secretary Philip Varilla, as well as the collaboration with partners BCDA and United States Agency for International Development.
"Your efforts are vital to the realization of our vision of an inclusive and sustainable digital Philippines for all Filipinos," Uy said.
Furthermore, Uy highlighted that the journey's success relies on sustained collaboration and a shared commitment to the nation's digital transformation.
"As we set our sights on completing the five phases of the National Fiber Backbone by 2026, we invite all stakeholders to actively participate in shaping our shared digital future," Uy said.
"Together, let us harness the momentum generated by today's launch to propel our digital aspirations to new heights and where every Filipino can thrive and contribute to the collective success of our nation," he added.