More Connectivity, More Prosperity and DICT

"As of 2022, only 77 percent or 20.6 million households were connected to the internet. This is much too low. Together with our private sector partners, we will efficiently harness the concept of common towers to provide connectivity to Filipinos who are at the far end of the last mile."

- Bienvenido S. Oplas Jr.

— President Marcos Jr., SONA 2024, July 22, 2024.

"Halos labindalawang libong pampublikong paaralan pa ang walang internet. Kaya sinisiguro ng DICT at ng DepEd na bago matapos ang taong ito, magkakaroon na ng koneksyon ng internet ang lahat ng pampublikong paaralan."

— President Marcos Jr., SONA 2025, July 28, 2025

I checked the comparative internet connectivity of our neighbors in the ASEAN in 2022 and 2023, "Individuals using the internet as percent of total population" from World Bank's World Development Indicators 2025 database, here are the numbers: Malaysia 97.4 and 97.7, Singapore 96 and 94.3, Thailand 88 and 89.5, Vietnam 78.6 and 78.1, Indonesia 66.5 and 69.2, Cambodia 58 and 60.7, Philippines 75.2 and 83.8.

So, the Philippines has the largest increase in internet connectivity in one year, good. And now a huge target of 12,000 public schools to have connectivity to be done by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and Department of Education.

I checked recent reports in The STAR related to connectivity, a number of optimistic stories: "DICT backs Konektadong Pinoy Act" (July 17), "DICT to launch center vs scam websites" (July 28), "Marcos vows internet access for all public schools by end of 2025" (July 28), "DICT: Expect 60K free WiFi sites in 2026" (Aug. 5), "Inside Philippine gov't's plan to upskill workers in AI" (Aug. 11).

So there is very high expectations of new DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda as the President has assigned even higher achievements from him — all 12,000 plus public schools, plus another 12,000 plus rural health centers. Tall order.