PH needs to invest more in digital infrastructure, says advocacy group

The Philippine government needs to invest more in digital infrastructure to address the broadband infrastructure gap in the country, advocacy group CitizenWatch said.

“The country needs to invest more in digital foundation, as addressing the broadband infrastructure gap between the Philippines and other neighboring countries will help empower people and industries in the internet world,” CitizenWatch PH lead convenor Orlando Oxales said.

He added that the Philippines should also invest in implementing reforms like incentives, education and training, and collaborate better with the private sector to properly leverage the country's resources and expertise.

"A coordinated approach where both the government and private sector would align their resources and strategies is crucial to enhancing the country’s digital capabilities and ensuring broadband connectivity that meets global standards," Oxales said.

"By aligning government resources with the aggressive and forward-looking investment outlook of the private telcos, the country can bridge the connectivity gap, and enable local industries to compete and thrive in the borderless global digital economy," he added.

Citing a 2024 World Bank report, CitizenWatch said the Philippines has the most expensive internet connectivity among Southeast Asian countries, but is relatively slow compared to Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei.

One way to increase internet speed in the Philippines is by adding more cell sites in the country and giving incentives to telcos, which is supported by several stakeholders in the telecommunications industry.

According to data from the National Telecommunications Commission, the Philippines has only around 23,000 cell sites, while neighboring countries like Vietnam has 90,000 cell towers and Bangladesh has 30,000.

The Philippines needs an additional 60,000 cell sites by 2031 in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas, according to data from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The National Economic and Development Authority has approved the P16.1 billion budget for the Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project, which aims to enhance the country’s broadband activity and bring high-speed internet connection, especially in far-flung areas.—Mariel Celine Serquiña/AOL, GMA Integrated News