Tower sharing, fiber network expansion seen attracting more investment — DICT

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the National Digital Connectivity Plan, which calls for tower sharing and fiber network expansion, is expected to attract more investment.

“If we fix the entire industry, we fix everything, we can add (1.1 percentage points) to GDP,” Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda told reporters on the sidelines of the Philippine Telecommunications Summit on Thursday. 

Mr. Aguda said infrastructure sharing will reduce operating costs, while also enabling rapid expansion and wider coverage.

The Konektadong Pinoy Act, also known as the Open Access in Data Transmission Act, lapsed into law on Aug. 24, while its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) were signed on Nov. 5. The law removed the requirement for a legislative franchise for data transmission entrants and promoted infrastructure sharing.

“Smart regulation is not anti-business. It allows businesses to scale. But reform alone is not enough. That’s why we have the National Digital Connectivity Plan, or NDCP,” Mr. Aguda said, noting that the 11-year roadmap could attract P5.6 trillion worth of investment. 

The NDCP, which was approved by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., in January, seeks to deliver universal, affordable and secure internet access as the government moves to close a connectivity gap with its Southeast Asian peers. 

The plan’s highlights include regulatory reform, universal access, public-private partnerships, and the strengthening of overall digital infrastructure.

The DICT has said that it is hoping to increase the share of the digital economy relative to GDP to 12.5% by 2028. It plans to achieve this by fast-tracking digital infrastructure projects and attracting more hyperscalers to operate in the Philippines.

The digital economy’s share of the Philippine economy was little changed at 8.5% in 2024. It had been 9.2% in 2021.

Mr. Aguda said that part of the plan to accelerate the development of digital is to increase the number of cell sites and ensure the use of fiber networks.

“These are infrastructure, and these investments will translate to more business and job creation,” he said, adding that to date the country has 30,000 cell sites and needs about 60,000 more. — Ashley Erika O. Jose