Senator Grace Poe called on internet service providers (ISPs) and cable TV operators to work harder to ensure Filipinos have access to affordable, high-quality internet.
Post-pandemic, Poe emphasized that digital connectivity and inclusivity should be a priority.
“In an archipelagic country consisting of 7,641 islands and a population of roughly 110 million, 60% of which live in the coastal zone, digital connectivity is imperative to conquer our physical disconnection,” she said at the Philippine Tech Show 2025, hosted by the Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association Inc.
“Digital inclusivity can lead to socio-economic inclusivity. And social inclusivity can lead to greater prosperity, increased well-being, and progressive communities.”
She cited a World Bank report showing only 33% of Filipino households have access to fixed broadband, well below the ASEAN average of 41%. The report also revealed that the Philippines represents more than half of the ASEAN population still without mobile broadband.
The World Bank found that the cost of fixed broadband in the Philippines is 11% of per capita gross national income (GNI), double the ASEAN average. Mobile broadband costs 2% of per capita GNI, 1.5 times the ASEAN average.
“I am confident however, that those statistics can improve. We need the private sector to provide the entrepreneurial spirit,” said Poe.IMT
