Nat'l fiber backbone to lower internet costs — Marcos

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the government's ongoing rollout of fiber optic infrastructure will not only connect more areas nationwide but also lower internet costs for millions of Filipinos by giving telecommunications companies access to public broadband infrastructure.

- By ARGYLL GEDUCOS

Marcos said this as he led the launching of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) Phases 2 and 3 in Palo, Leyte, yesterday.

In his speech, the President said that having a government-owned fiber backbone would reduce the operational costs of telcos and internet providers, potentially leading to lower prices for consumers.

“Kapag buo na ang National Fiber Backbone, maaari nang mabawasan ang gastos ng mga telco at internet provider dahil may sarili na tayong imprastraktura, (Once the National Fiber Backbone is complete, telecom and internet providers can lower their costs because we now have our own infrastructure),” he said.

“Mas abot-kayang internet, mas maraming Pilipino ang makikinabang (More affordable internet means more Filipinos will benefit),” he added.

Marcos said the digital backbone is a vital public service that “should not be a privilege but a necessity,” especially for students, workers, small entrepreneurs, and rural families.

“Hindi na privilege ang pagkakaroon ng access sa mabilis na internet. Ito ay pangangailangan na (Having access to fast internet is no longer a privilege. It is now a necessity),” he said.