Marcos leads launch of DICT project for faster internet service, accessibility

MANILA Philippines: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday led the grand launch of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) Phase 1 Project that is expected to enhance internet speeds and accessibility in the country.

The completion of Phase 1 of the NFB project «is a significant milestone toward the achievement of a Bagong Pilipinas, the administration's comprehensive strategy for economic and social transformation,» the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said in a statement.

The NFB also underscored the government's commitment, through the DICT, to fast-track the development of essential digital infrastructure for a fully connected nation, it said.

«The Philippines' National Fiber Backbone is a demand-responsive, neutral fiber backbone designed to facilitate widespread internet access in specified nodes accessible to government entities,» the DICT added.

Phase 1 of the project aims to extend capacity to a minimum of 14 provinces across Northern and Central Luzon, as well as Metro Manila, four BCDA eco-zones, and two National Government Data Centers.