Most Filipinos these days spend a considerable amount of time doing online activities, whether for entertainment, work, or academic purposes.
It may not come as a surprise that the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Communications Technology (DICT) recorded a surge in internet access and usage in 2024.
The 2024 National Information and Communications Technology Household Survey (NICTHS) reports that most households in the Philippines have internet access; two out of three individuals, ranging from 10 years old and above, are those who are most active.
“Internet access at home” is particularly defined by the survey as the general internet availability that most household members use at any time.
Now, in 2024, 48.8 percent (that’s about 13.56 million) of households stated having internet access at home. This increases the percentage point to 31.1 compared to the 17.1 back in 2019.
Regional Data points out the National Capital Region (NCR) and Central Luzon as leading regions with home internet access, having 68.7 percent and 61.3 percent of households connected, respectively. On the other hand, the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have the lowest percentage of internet access, with the former at 21.2% and the latter at 27.7%.
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However, the average monthly expenditure on Internet connectivity among Filipino households decreased. In 2024, households spent around PHP 1,069.10 per month, which is a noticeable decline from PHP 1,280.59 in 2019. Households in BARMM have the lowest average monthly spending of about PHP 583, with NCR at PHP 1,290.90.
Apart from the overall status of Internet access in the country, the NICTHS also examined individual usage. In 2024, two out of three people aged 10 and above used the internet anywhere, totaling approximately 61.46 million users.
Again, NCR leads with 79.3 percent of individuals (age range of 10 and above) using the Internet, followed by Cagayan Valley at 74.9%, and the third being the Ilocos Region at 74.3%. BARMM, once more, has the lowest percentage at 40%.
Among individuals, the most common location for accessing the Internet was at home (73.1%), followed by using the Internet at another person’s home (36.9%), and finally at commercial establishments (30.2%). Public Internet access was the least common, with only 11.5%.
When it comes to devices used for Internet access, mobile phones are the most used technology at 98.8% for users 10 and above. Laptops follow this at 14.7%, Smart televisions at 11.3%, desktops at 10%, tablets at 4.2%, and finally, consoles (and other devices) at 2.5%.
Meanwhile, NCR records the highest time spent on the Internet with an average of 6.1 hours, followed by Calabarzon at 5.3 hours, and Western Visayas at 4.5 hours. Cagayan Valley records the least time spent on the Internet at 3.4 hours