Power system operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) will be leasing its fiber optics and other broadband-related infrastructure to the government to help concretize the wish of many Filipinos for high-speed internet connectivity.

With an accelerated pace of rollout for the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) project, the Marcos administration is keeping its eye on the goal to accelerate digital connections for all Filipinos by 2026, primarily those in the rural areas.

NGCP announced that it inked a lease deal with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), so the fiber optics linked to the operation of the country’s power grid as well as its private telecommunications network and substations could be used for the State-underpinned broadband undertaking.

“The agreement will help enable the deployment of a robust national broadband infrastructure, enabling the government to leverage a two-terabyte connection originating from the eastern seaboard,” the DICT stressed.

According to DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy, “the signing of the Specific Site Lease Agreement will lead us closer to providing lighting-fast broadband connectivity to Filipinos.”

Through the utilization of NGCP’s dark fiber, the Phase 1 of the project will cover the illumination of 26 nodes that shall stretch from Laoag, Ilocos Norte, to Roces in Quezon City.

“Subsequent phases will extend network reach, connecting regions across the country and providing broadband internet access to government entities and public places,” the power firm conveyed.

As a preparatory step to deployment, the DICT indicated that it is already advancing civil works and installation activities for telecom shelters within NGCP substations – giving attention to detail when it comes to the proper housing of the optical transport networking (OTN) equipment for the project.

NGCP President Anthony L. Almeda highlighted that their company will be pursuing collaboration with the Marcos administration on this facet of business convergence to “ensure the successful implementation of the NFB project, bringing us one step closer to realizing our shared vision of a digitally inclusive Philippines.”

He opined this government undertaking is “a transformative initiative that aims to yield tangible benefits for the Filipino people.”

As designed, the NFB is a strategic component of the DICT-blueprinted National Broadband Plan “to accelerate the deployment of fiber optic cable and wireless technology, thereby improving internet speeds and accessibility across the country.”

NGCP qualified that part of the core plan for NBP shall be “the establishment of a demand-responsive neutral fiber backbone” – and it will be in that space that the government can leverage on NGCP's private telecom network infrastructure.

“This backbone will facilitate the laying out of fiber optic cables in 23 strategic sites across Luzon, bolstering ICT infrastructure and fostering improved internet connectivity,” the power grid operator stated.

If government plans would come into fruition, Uy added that every Filipino would be empowered to have access to “boundless opportunities and benefits from robust and inclusive digital infrastructure.”

Typically, a shared infrastructure for telco and power grid would be highly beneficial because they already have commonalities when it comes to fiber optics, as well as those on poles or substations and even solutions on the tricky concern of right-of-way, hence, reducing rollout costs while scaling up broadband expansion.