New chief seeks doubling of 2026 DICT budget
Henry Aguda took his oath of office as Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology last March 25. Photo from the DICT website
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is proposing to double its budget for 2026 as it ramps up connectivity across the country, especially in remote areas.
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda, in a media briefing on Wednesday in Manila, said they were working on closing the digital gaps in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).
He noted that internet access outside Metro Manila would need to be improved by deploying more digital infrastructure like fiber backbone and satellite technology.
Overall, Aguda said they were targeting to improve coverage from 85 percent to more than 90 percent. Connectivity must be “spread equitably across the Philippines,” he stressed.
The DICT chief, as such, explained that building a wider network entails a bigger budget.
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P10-B war chest this year
According to data from the Department of Budget and Management, the government agency was given a P10.27-billion budget this year.
“We are asking double [for next year] so that we can provide more connectivity,” he said.
Bulk or P7.5 billion of this year’s budget is allocated to the Free Public Internet Access Program. This includes construction of fiber backbone, cell towers and data centers.
In April, the DICT said it would spend P68.72 million to upgrade the country’s fiber cable system in order to improve the delivery of internet services in the country.
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Digital infrastructure
The government intends to accomplish this by beefing up the optical transport network (OTN) capacity of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB).
OTN capacity refers to the amount of data that can be transmitted via a fiber cable system. Increasing this will allow faster delivery of internet services.
NFB, meanwhile, is a government-owned network that facilitates the delivery of data across the country.
Last year, the government launched the first phase of NFB. It spans 1,245 kilometers and connects 14 provinces from Laoag, Ilocos Norte to Quezon City.
The NFB phase 1 supports 3,000 free WiFi sites, providing internet to about 750,000 residents in Regions I and III and Metro Manila.
