On Thursday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to advancing digital transformation in Philippine education, emphasizing the need to expand Internet connectivity in public schools, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
Marcos made this announcement during his visit to Flora A. Ylagan High School in Diliman, Quezon City, where he led the school connectivity drive organized by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
The initiative aims to bridge the digital divide in public schools by enhancing Internet connectivity, strengthening digital infrastructure, and expanding access to technology, especially in underserved areas.
During his visit, the President interacted with Grade 11 students and participated in a virtual dialogue with educators and learners from geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) such as Batanes, Marinduque, Cebu, Tawi-Tawi, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, and Apayao.
“Kailangan connected lalung-lalo na ang mga school kaya’t mabuti nagkakaroon at dumarami na yung school natin na connected na. Kaya ipagpapatuloy natin yang programang ‘yan (Schools need to be connected and it is good that more of our schools are getting connected. That’s why we will continue this program),” Marcos stated during the teleconference with teachers and school officials.
The educators expressed their gratitude for the new connectivity and electricity projects, highlighting that these improvements would enable students to conduct research and attend classes virtually, even during typhoons and other disruptions.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara, who joined the teleconference from an Indigenous Peoples school in Agusan del Norte, noted that students from the Higaonon tribe received power connections just in time for the opening of classes on June 16. “They got their electricity first (on) Monday, thanks to the quick work of NEA (National Electrification Administration) and DOE (Department of Energy),” Angara said.
Agusan del Norte Governor Angel Amante added that improved Internet and electricity access have motivated learners to attend classes regularly.
“Tama ‘yan. Marami talagang magagawa kapag may Internet na. Pararamihin pa natin ito, especially sa GIDA at underserved areas (That’s right. A lot can be done when there is Internet access. We will expand this further, especially in GIDA and underserved areas),” Marcos affirmed.