The Philippines needs around 60,000 cell sites in order to expand internet reach that will include Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) amid the World Bank report stating that the country is lagging behind neighboring countries in terms of internet reach and average speed.
Currently, there are only around 12,000 independent common towers in the country which is way below Vietnam for instance with 90,000 cell towers and Bangladesh with around 30,000, according to the data of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Aside from insufficient number of cell sites, the Philippines' internet connectivity is the most expensive in the Southeast Asian region but is relatively slow compared to Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei based on the 2024 World Bank report dubbed "Better Internet for All Filipinos: Reforms Promoting Competition and Increasing Investment for Broadband Infrastructure”.
"Compared to other ASEAN countries, the Philippines’ internet connectivity lags in affordability, speed, and access, creating an uneven landscape for digital participation,” the report read.
The report also stated that policymakers should focus on reforms and invest more budget to improve the Philippines' broadband infrastructure, as the slow internet connection affects many people and future opportunities.
"Limited internet access curbs digital potential for citizens and businesses, with peri-urban connectivity being critical to future growth. The country’s poor broadband infrastructure is rooted in outdated policy frameworks that stifle investment in rural areas and foster a market with weak competition, both of which hinder broadband expansion," the World Bank said, as posted on its website,” the report read.
"Policymakers can build on immediate reforms through the open access bill as an entry point to broader and medium- to longer-term digital connectivity agenda. The cost of inaction—loss of growth opportunity, people remaining unequipped for future jobs, and widening of the digital divide—is too high for the Philippines," it added.
This prompted the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) to urge the Marcos administration to increase government spending on developing the country’s digital infrastructure, starting off with a P60 billion annual budget for DICT to increase the number of cell sites and the penetration rate of internet services in the country.
Another suggestion to increase internet speed in the Philippines is by adding more cell sites in the country and giving incentives to telcos, which is supported by several stakeholders in the telecommunications industry.
On the other hand, House Bill No. 10215 is being pushed by lawmakers led by Makati Second District Representative Luis Campos Jr., the legislation seeks to tag high-speed internet connection as a basic telecommunication service to which every Filipino enjoys a right of access.