DICT chief goes flat out for low-cost, steady internet

In a country where slow and expensive internet has long frustrated users, a familiar promise is once again being made — this time under the leadership of Henry R. Aguda, the newly appointed Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Aguda has pledged sweeping reforms in connectivity and cost, but the question remains: Can this administration deliver where others have fallen short?

“We’re targeting a 30 to 50 percent price drop,” Aguda said. “It won’t happen overnight,” he admitted.

“When the President gave us that order, we didn’t debate. We delivered because every Filipino, whether in Batanes or Tawi-Tawi, deserves to be connected,” Aguda said.

That sense of urgency has shaped Aguda’s first few months in office. In just 100 days, the DICT reactivated nearly 19,000 free WiFi sites, including 6,183 in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs). It also completed 3,026 kilometers of the National Fiber Backbone, now powering high-speed internet in 20 provinces and over 1,000 government sites — including 153 access points in Batanes and 54 in Tawi-Tawi.

“Our ultimate goal is to generate more digital jobs, not just in BPOs but in e-commerce and gig work,” Aguda said. “That’s already over 10 million workers. Every 10 percent increase in connectivity brings almost 2 percent in GDP growth. The countryside will benefit the most. This is a small price to pay for broad, inclusive, and sustained economic development.”

DICT’s Free WiFi for All program, for instance, carries a P9-billion budget and aims to install 50,000 new access points, targeting 13 million users.

To ease infrastructure burdens and reduce operational costs, the DICT and the National Telecommunications Commission are pursuing reforms, advocating for spectrum reallocation and shared infrastructure policies. He revealed that between 10,000 and 15,000 Starlink terminals are now deployed across the country, helping boost connectivity in remote areas.

But beyond the high-level policy work, Aguda’s DICT is also launching hands-on efforts like the Bayanihan SIM project. 

With a P3-billion budget, this initiative is bringing data access directly into Filipino homes through more than a million SIM cards bundled with monthly internet.

Each SIM provides 25 gigabytes of data per month for one year and is procured at subsidized rates through partnerships with major telecommunications companies. Telcos, in turn, have committed to building new towers in previously unserved areas.

The project was piloted at Kalawakan Elementary School in Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan — a GIDA — with the help of the Department of Education and the Department of the Interior and Local Government. The government aims to distribute 600,000 SIM cards this year and 1,008,000 the following year.

Aguda insists this isn’t just about getting people online — it’s about creating opportunities. It’s about access to education, government services and livelihoods. It’s about finally making the internet work for everyone, not just for those who live in big cities.

Is Henry Aguda the man who can deliver that promise? 

PSAC digital point person

Prior to his appointment, Aguda served as the Digital Infrastructure Lead at the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), a council tasked to assist the Marcos administration in fostering innovative synergies between the private and public sectors.

He was also deeply immersed in the digital banking industry, having previously served as the president and CEO of UnionDigital Bank. He held senior leadership roles at UnionBank as chief technology and operations officer and chief transformation officer.

Before joining UnionDigital Bank, he was the board chairperson of both City Savings Bank and UBX Philippines.

He was also in charge of software development services at WeServ Systems International, led Nextel’s information operations, was assistant vice president at Bayantel Communication Holdings, and managed the corporate data network for the Manila Electric Company.

Aguda completed his Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree at the University of the Philippines, graduating cum laude in both instances.

He also took graduate studies in the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and joined the Strategic Alliance Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Aguda is currently taking his master’s degree in Applied Business Economics at the University of Asia and the Pacific.

His vision in solving the connectivity riddle is definitely bold, the numbers are real, and the clock is ticking. 

For now, he’s charging ahead, backed by policy, budget, and a clear sense of mission. Whether he succeeds or not may define the next chapter of digital inclusion in the Philippines.