The Marcos government has greenlighted the Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project (PDIP), one of the administration's flagship infrastructure projects, to boost the country's broadband connectivity and strengthen cybersecurity defenses.
In addition, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., streamlined the process of nine other ongoing priority projects.
"Broadband services have opened up numerous opportunities for Filipinos, from work-from-home arrangements to digital access to critical public and private services, including the latest technological tools such as artificial intelligence. This project will enable us to connect more Filipinos to markets and networks, spurring economic development," NEDA secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.
The P16.1-billion PDIP, which will be financed through official development assistance from the World Bank, aims to enhance the country's broadband connectivity and bring high-speed internet connections even to disadvantaged areas.
It aims to augment digital infrastructure to bridge the digital divide, stimulate private sector investments, strengthen cybersecurity capacity, and protect critical information infrastructure.
The project, anchored on the National Broadband Program, a flagship initiative of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, involves the construction of a public broadband infrastructure network.
This network comprises five major components: the backbone network, the middle-mile network, the access network (last mile), network security, and project management support.
Aside from the PDIP, the Board also approved the adjustments to various parameters of nine ongoing infrastructure projects, seven of which are part of the Infrastructure Flagship Projects list.
These are the Local Governance Reform Project; Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility; New Cebu International Container Port Project; Light Rail Transit Line 1 South Extension Project; Malolos-Clark Railway Project, Tranche 1; Metro Manila Flood Management Project, Phase 1; Reconstruction and Development Plan for a Greater Marawi, Stage 2; Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project; and the Panguil Bay Bridge Project.
The changes involve the project scope, cost, extension of the implementation period, and loan validity.
"The adjustments to these ongoing infrastructure projects were necessary to ensure their successful completion, advancing our national efforts to expand and upgrade our infrastructure, improve connectivity, and create more jobs," Balisacan said.
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