As he highlighted the importance of having speedy internet for Filipinos to reach their full potential, President Marcos led the launch of the National Fiber Backbone Phase 1 (NFB P1) aimed at increasing internet connectivity service capacity to various data centers in the country.

In his speech during the project's launch in Pasay City, the President reiterated his vision of bringing high-speed internet access to the country to create a more digitally-improved Philippines.

"I have made it clear that one of the top priorities that this administration recognizes is to create a Digital Philippines," he said on Friday, April 19.

"Our people want to receive fast, reliable, affordable internet services, and our agencies [are] equipped with the best information technology tools that are available,” he added.

To attain the said goals, Marcos said the government, through the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) created the National Broadband Program (NBP), which aims to provide necessary interventions, policies, and infrastructures to enable even the most remote areas to enjoy the benefit of having “modern and state-of-the-art connections.”

"It is clear to us that the internet has become the backbone of trade, communications, transactions, within and amongst communities," he said.

"Because this backbone links us together, then it serves as the economic spine that props up our growth and supports our development," he added.

According to Marcos, the NFB P1 is the first and only government-owned National Fiber Backbone in the country, which spans 1,245 kilometers and is composed of 28 nodes from Laoag, Ilocos Norte, down to Roces District in Quezon City.

The project has an initial 600 Gbps optical spectrum capacity that will serve the needs of the government and the communities along the way, including at least 14 provinces in Northern and Central Luzon, two National Government Data Centers, and four BCDA ecozones.

The successful completion of Phase 1 will empower 346 national and local government offices connected to GovNet, boosting their overall operational efficiency and generating more than P145 million in potential savings annually.

It will also extend a digital lifeline to more than 3,000 free Wi-Fi sites, enabling direct internet access for approximately 750,000 beneficiaries in Regions I, III, and Metro Manila.

Marcos said he was looking forward to the completion of the five next phases of the National Fiber Backbone Project by 2026.

"Once finished, the DICT expects to increase the penetration rate from 33 percent as it is now to 65 percent, reaching 70 million Filipinos out of the current 115 million population nationwide. It will also lower the price to as much as $5 per Mbps," he said.

Meanwhile, the President said the project will open a wide range of employment opportunities, improve market efficiency, attract foreign investments, and stimulate livelihood opportunities across all sectors, while bringing the transformative power of free and fast access to information, guaranteeing people’s enjoyment of the internet as a basic human right.