As internet connectivity in the provinces remains sluggish and intermittent, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. acknowledged the problem and called on the private sector to help bring reliable internet access within reach of Filipinos across the archipelago.

Speaking at the Philippine Telecommunications Summit at Newport World Resorts in Pasay City on Thursday, Marcos said that while the country’s telecommunications sector was valued at more than $6 billion last year, challenges persist, particularly in far-flung areas, due to connectivity gaps, red tape, and regulatory hurdles.

“Still, challenges continue to remain. While our cities enjoy high-speed and reliable service, many rural and remote areas—coastal communities, mountainous regions, and smaller islands—continue to face unstable signals and limited broadband access,” Marcos said.

“Delays in permits, right-of-way restrictions, fiber cuts, and power interruptions further widen these gaps. These affect real lives. They limit access to education, constrain economic opportunity, and slow national progress,” he added.

The President cited ongoing developments in the sector, including the rollout of 5G networks, the deployment of fiber-optic cables, the expansion of mobile broadband, and the growth of digital services, which have transformed how Filipinos communicate, study, do business, and engage with government.

Marcos said that by the third quarter of 2025, telecommunications providers would have deployed more than 1.8 million cable kilometers nationwide, connecting tens of millions of homes and opening pathways to classrooms, markets, and opportunities that were previously out of reach.

“Broadband and mobile internet speeds have improved in recent years. These gains mean faster access to education, to health services, government programs, and to livelihoods. But development is not measured through internet connectivity speed. It’s when we see that Filipinos have the chance to improve and alleviate their lives, and prosper,” he said.

He said the government, through the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), is implementing reforms to make internet services faster and more affordable.

Among these reforms, Marcos cited the enactment of the Konektadong Pinoy Act, which removed long-standing barriers that slowed progress and limited competition.

The government has also rolled out the Free Public Internet Access Program, which maintains more than 9,500 active free Wi-Fi access points in 5,057 public places nationwide.

To promote digital inclusion, the President highlighted the Bayanihan SIM Card Project, which provided more than 89,400 subsidized SIM cards with monthly data allocations to public school students, teachers, and indigent communities.

Marcos also lauded the private sector for continued investments in telecommunications and local government units for their cooperation in improving internet services across the country.

“We look forward to greater connectivity and coverage, so that faster and more reliable communications will reach more lives and more will be touched by this technology,” the President said.

Organized by the DICT, the Telecommunications Summit 2026 aims to secure stakeholder commitments and coordinate actions to improve ICT infrastructure and service quality, reduce internet costs, expand high-speed connectivity, promote inclusive digital access, and strengthen the country’s digital competitiveness and resilience.