The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has officially launched Phases 2 and 3 of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) project in Palo, Leyte.
The launch, held on Monday, July 7, was led by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and joined by House speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, DICT secretary Henry R. Aguda, and other national and local officials.
In his speech, Marcos Jr. emphasized the importance of building the country’s own digital infrastructure to make Internet services more affordable and accessible for every Filipino.
“Mapapakinabangan ito ng halos 17 milyong Pilipino. At kapag buo na ang National Fiber Backbone, maaari pang mabawasan ang gastos sa mga telco at Internet providers dahil may sarili na tayong imprastruktura. Mas abot-kayang Internet, mas maraming Pilipino ang konektado,” he said.
Aguda opened the ceremony with a message that conveyed the objective of the project: “We’re not just expanding bandwidth. We’re expanding hope. This initiative means faster services, fewer delays, and more efficient government.”
The DICT said Phase 1 of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) laid the groundwork for a more connected Philippines. Stretching 1,245 kilometers from Laoag to Quezon City, it linked 14 provinces, Metro Manila, four Bases Conversion and Development Authority ecozones, and two national government data centers. This backbone connects 346 government agencies and benefits over 10 million Filipinos nationwide.
Building on this momentum, Phases 2 and 3 of the NFB will push high-speed Internet deeper into the Cagayan Region, CALABARZON, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and key areas in Mindanao such as Cagayan de Oro and Davao City.
These expansions, it said, will significantly increase the country’s digital capacity, enabling more local governments, schools, health centers, and communities to connect and thrive. Over 1,000 additional government offices and more than 1.4 million Filipinos will benefit from this rollout, the agency added.
“Through Phases 2 and 3, we are reaching even farther into communities long overlooked, into homes where opportunity can finally enter through a strong and stable digital connection,” the DICT said.
As part of the launch, a free public Wi-Fi site was also activated at the MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park, powered by the NFB node. During the event, Marcos Jr. and Aguda engaged in a live interactive session with beneficiaries of the Free Wi-Fi for All program from across the country.
“We call on our LGUs, the private sector, civil society, and every Filipino: let’s work together… Let’s build a country where government help is just one click away, where every citizen is seen, heard, and served,” Aguda said.
