The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has announced plans to complete Phases 2 and 3 of the National Fiber Backbone Project by 2025, enhancing internet access across provinces, government offices, and data centres in the Philippines. The implementation of these phases is expected to begin by March or April 2025. Phase 1, spanning 1,245 km from Laoag to Quezon City, is already complete. The next phases will extend connectivity to southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Further, the project’s goal of connecting the northernmost and southernmost provinces to deliver reliable internet, particularly in remote and disadvantaged areas. A USD288 million World Bank loan will fund future phases, including Phase 6, which will integrate regions like BARMM, Central Luzon, and Mimaropa. However, the World Bank has raised concerns about widening broadband access disparities in the country.