The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) aims to reduce the costs of internet service providers (ISPs) by as much as 50 percent by 2028, following the government’s efforts to enhance facility sharing among competitors in the telecommunications sector.
However, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda clarified that the targeted 30 to 50 percent reduction in internet costs will take time and will not happen overnight, but it is intended to be implemented on or before President Bongbong Marcos’s term ends.
“Over time po ‘yan. As technology becomes more advanced, the price per megabyte drops. As competition increases and as telcos become more efficient, the price will really drop,” said Aguda during the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) Infrastructure Forum in Makati.
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The Konektadong Pinoy Bill, ratified by Congress last week and now awaiting the President’s signature, is also anticipated to enhance competition among Internet providers.
In addition to lowering Internet costs, Sec. Aguda stated that their agency aims to connect all 10,875 underserved barangays.
DICT is also working to improve the number of free public Wi-Fi zones across the country from the current 18,000 to 50,000 in the next three years to cover the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), which is expected to cost Php9 billion.