PLDT is accelerating its nationwide connectivity expansion program, with a stronger push to bring internet access to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) through partnerships with major government agencies.
Working closely with the Department of Education, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Department of Information and Communications Technology, among others, the company aims to speed up the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure across underserved communities nationwide.
The initiative seeks to expand reliable internet access to support online education, improve the delivery of government services, and help businesses participate more actively in the digital economy.
“Strategic collaboration with the 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 S. Santiago, head of Network Strategy and Architecture at PLDT and Smart.
The company said more than 3,500 barangays across the country are expected to gain internet coverage under the latest expansion efforts, opening opportunities for education, livelihood, and digital public services in far-flung communities.
PLDT said the initiative builds on years of collaboration with government agencies aimed at removing regulatory and permitting bottlenecks that have long slowed telecommunications rollout projects.
Since 2019, PLDT and Smart have been working with the Anti-Red Tape Authority, DILG, DICT, the National Telecommunications Commission, local government units, and industry stakeholders to streamline permitting processes for telecommunications infrastructure nationwide.
These efforts helped pave the way for Executive Order No. 32, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2023, which institutionalized faster and more streamlined procedures for the construction, installation, repair, operation, and maintenance of telecommunications and internet infrastructure.
PLDT said sustained investments in network expansion and modernization remain central to its goal of narrowing the digital divide, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
The company added that it continues to push for long-term policy reforms and stronger public-private partnerships to ensure faster, more inclusive, and future-ready connectivity for Filipinos nationwide.