President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he wants to integrate micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), including the smallest vendors and service providers, into the digital economy.

The Chief Executive said this as he graced the inauguration of the first phase of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) in Pasay City on Friday in a major push to enhance digital connectivity across the country.

"This (project) is a very big push to bring MSMEs into the digital space. Our aim is to expand the market reach of the traditional sari-sari stores and even nano enterprises like shoeshine boys and local mechanics through digital platforms," Marcos said.

This move is expected to provide these enterprises with unprecedented growth opportunities by connecting them to a broader national and potentially international customer base.

The NFB, spearheaded by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), seeks to bridge the digital divide by extending state-of-the-art internet connectivity to the most remote areas of the country.

Marcos noted that the initial phase of the backbone stretches 1,245 kilometers and incorporates 28 nodes, from Laoag, Ilocos Norte, to Roces, Quezon City.

This phase boasts an impressive 600 Gbps optical spectrum capacity and aims to provide high-speed internet access to 14 provinces across Northern and Central Luzon.

Marcos also lauded the collaboration between government bodies and private sector partners, including Bases Conversion and Development Authority, TransCo, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, and a consortium led by Meta, for their role in achieving this milestone.

"The successful completion of Phase 1 is an enormous breakthrough as we continue our quest to increase internet connectivity and service capacity," Marcos said.

With an eye on the future, the government plans to complete five more phases of the NFB project by 2026, aiming to increase internet penetration from 33 percent to 65 percent and lower the cost of internet access to as much as $5 per Mbps.

This expansion is expected to reach approximately 70 million Filipinos, significantly impacting employment, foreign investment, and societal advancement.

The NFB will also enhance operational efficiency for 346 national and local government offices connected to GovNet, generating potential annual savings of more than 145 million pesos. Additionally, it will provide a digital lifeline to over 3,000 Filipinos at various free WiFi sites, benefiting around 750,000 people in the regions covered.

In his closing remarks, President Marcos stressed the importance of the internet as a basic human right and the transformative power of having free and fast access to information.

"We are assured that the NFB Phase 1 will already make a significant impact on our internet connectivity and in the day-to-day activities of ordinary Filipinos," he concluded, projecting a brighter digital future for all Filipinos.