COMMUNITY | PLDT targets 3,500 barangays in rural internet expansion
PLDT said the expansion aims to support online learning, improve access to government services, and help businesses in remote communities participate in the digital economy.
Thousands of underserved barangays across the Philippines are expected to gain internet access as PLDT expands its rural connectivity program in coordination with government agencies.
The telecommunications firm said it is working with the Department of Education, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Department of Information and Communications Technology to accelerate network deployment, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).
PLDT said the expansion aims to support online learning, improve access to government services, and help businesses in remote communities participate in the digital economy.
“Strategic collaboration with government allows us to overcome long-standing challenges in infrastructure deployment. When public and private sectors work in sync, we can speed up connectivity rollouts and ensure that even the most remote areas benefit from the country’s digital transformation,” said Roderick Santiago, head of network strategy and architecture at PLDT and Smart.
The company said its latest expansion efforts build on previous initiatives with the Anti-Red Tape Authority and the Private Sector Advisory Council to streamline telecommunications permitting and infrastructure deployment.
Since 2019, PLDT and Smart have coordinated with government agencies, local government units, and industry stakeholders to simplify permit processing for telecommunications projects. The initiative contributed to the issuance of Executive Order No. 32 in 2023, which standardized and streamlined procedures for the construction and maintenance of telecommunications and internet infrastructure.
PLDT said it continues to invest in network expansion and upgrades to improve connectivity in underserved communities and narrow the country’s digital divide.
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