A study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said that the government’s ICT infrastructure flagship projects under the “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) program is on track to meet the Philippine Development Plan’s (PDP) targets for 2017-2022.
Janet Cuenca, a former research fellow at PIDS, said the BBB program is particularly responsive in the areas of information and communications technology (ICT), transport and mobility, water resources, and power and energy.
Among the ICT-related projects being implemented under the program include the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure Project and the National Broadband Program. Through the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure, an ultra-high-speed information highway was built to improve speed, affordability, and accessibility of broadband Internet throughout the country.
The National Broadband Program aims to enhance Internet speed through the fast deployment of fiber optic cables and wireless technologies. It also seeks to ensure that all Filipinos have access to broadband capability.
Based on the 2018 Socioeconomic Report of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the country’s connectivity has improved.
The Speedtest Global Index also confirmed that the country’s Internet speed has increased from an average download of 5.13 megabits per second (Mbps) to 19.03 Mbps for fixed broadband and from 13.45 Mbps to 15.05 Mbps for mobile broadband.
Despite these developments, however, the Philippine’s broadband speed is still far below global standards.
