Internet access and usage in the Philippines surged significantly in 2024, according to a new survey jointly conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
The 2024 National Information and Communications Technology Household Survey (NICTHS) indicated that nearly half of all households now have Internet access at home, while two out of three individuals aged 10 years and over are active Internet users.
The survey defines “Internet access at home” as the general availability of Internet for use by all household members at any time, regardless of actual usage.
In 2024, 48.8 percent (13.56 million) of total households reported having Internet access at home, marking a substantial 31.1 percentage point increase from just 17.7 percent in 2019.
Regional data highlights the National Capital Region (NCR) and Central Luzon as leaders in home Internet access, with 68.7 percent and 61.3 percent of households connected, respectively. Conversely, Zamboanga Peninsula (21.2%) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) (27.7%) reported the lowest percentages.
Among households with home Internet access, Fixed Wired Broadband Network emerged as the most prevalent connection type, accounting for 58.8 percent. Mobile Broadband Network followed at 39.3 percent, with Fixed Wireless Broadband Network at 11.6 percent and Satellite Broadband Network at 2.2 percent.
Remarkably, the average monthly expenditure on Internet connectivity among Filipino households saw a decline. In 2024, households spent an average of P1,069.10 per month, a decrease of P211.49 from the P1,280.59 reported in 2019. BARMM households reported the lowest average monthly spending at P583.00, while NCR households recorded the highest at P1,290.90.
The NICTHS also delved into individual Internet usage. In 2024, two out of three individuals aged 10 years and over (67.3 percent), translating to 61.46 million people, reported using the Internet at any location.
NCR again led in individual Internet usage, with 79.3 percent of its population aged 10 and over being Internet users, followed by Cagayan Valley (74.9%) and Ilocos Region (74.3%). BARMM registered the lowest percentage of individual Internet users at 40.0 percent.
For Internet users aged 10 years and over, “Home” was the most common primary location for Internet access (73.1%), followed by “In Another Person’s Home” (36.9%) and “In Commercial Establishments” (30.2%). Public Access Venues were the least common at 11.5 percent.
Regarding device usage, cell phones were overwhelmingly the most widely used ICT device, reported by 98.8 percent of Internet users aged 10 and over. Other devices included laptops (14.7%), smart televisions (11.3%), desktops (10.0%), tablets (4.2%), and gaming consoles/other devices (2.5%).
The majority of Internet users (76.9%) reported daily Internet use, with an average daily time spent online of 4.6 hours for individuals aged 10 years and over.
NCR recorded the highest daily average time spent online at 6.1 hours, followed by Calabarzon (5.3 hours) and Western Visayas (4.5 hours). Cagayan Valley had the lowest at 3.4 hours.
These findings underscored the Philippines’ accelerating digital transformation, driven by increased home connectivity, more affordable services, and widespread individual adoption, primarily via mobile devices, the government said.
