We are a digitally-immersed people. Everywhere, people are glued to their gadgets, waiting for a message, reading emails, scrolling social media. We even eat with our phones in front of us, meet friends with that at our elbows, and work with one hand on our mobile phone. For many of us, the internet is not a luxury—it is where work, commerce, information, and community now live.

In a barangay in Batangas, a home-based seller relies on Facebook Live to move her daily inventory. In Cebu, a college student attends online classes using prepaid data because home broadband is unreliable. In Mindanao, a small LGU posts advisories on social media because it’s the fastest way to reach residents during floods. These everyday scenarios show how deeply digital tools have woven themselves into Filipino life.

President Marcos Jr. recently approved the National Digital Connectivity Plan (NDCP) which aims to expand fast, affordable, and secure internet access across the country—especially in far-flung and underserved areas. Its goals include improving broadband infrastructure, lowering internet costs, and ensuring connectivity in public schools, barangay halls, and health centers.

On paper, this matters enormously. For a public school teacher in the province who struggles to upload reports due to weak signal, better connectivity means less time fighting technology and more time teaching. For a rural health unit relying on messaging apps to coordinate patient referrals, stable internet can literally save lives. For local entrepreneurs selling products online, faster and cheaper internet can mean higher income and wider reach.

But more Filipinos online also means more Filipinos exposed.

Online scams are now part of daily conversation. Text messages claiming to be from banks, e-wallets, or delivery services routinely land on phones. Elderly parents are tricked into clicking links. Young professionals fall for fake job offers or investment schemes promising quick returns. Even experienced internet users are not immune. The losses are personal, painful, and often irreversible.

Misinformation adds another layer of risk. From distorted historical narratives to misleading health advice, false information circulates freely—often shared not by strangers, but by friends, relatives, or trusted community figures who continue the spread of fake news by attaching it to a question—“Is this true?”

And during elections or national crises, fabricated content spreads faster than verified reports. The result is confusion, polarization, and growing distrust in institutions and media.

Artificial intelligence has made this environment even more complicated. Fake photos, cloned voices, and manipulated videos are increasingly difficult to detect. A convincing deepfake of a public official can spark outrage before anyone has time to verify its authenticity. For communities with limited access to media literacy education, the danger is real.

This is where the need for digital education goes beyond infrastructure. By addressing connectivity gaps, the NDCP can help match connectivity digital literacy and protection. A barangay with free Wi-Fi but no education on online safety is still vulnerable. A school with tablets but no training on critical thinking risks producing confident users who are easily misled.

The challenge, then, is balance. We need more connectivity, but also better preparation. Platforms must be more responsive to local scams and coordinated disinformation. Government agencies must modernize regulation without stifling free expression. Schools must treat digital literacy as a core skill, not an optional seminar.

Most of all, Filipinos need to slow down online—to question before sharing, verify before believing, and pause before clicking. In a country where community ties are strong, the responsibility to protect one another now extends into the digital space.

The internet will continue to shape our lives, whether we are ready or not. The NDCP offers a roadmap to bring more Filipinos online. The harder work is ensuring that as connectivity spreads, institutions should ensure safety, awareness, and trust. Because being connected is powerful—but being informed is essential. (Email: [email protected])