MANILA – Nearly half of all Filipino households now have internet access at home, but the high cost of subscription remains a major barrier for millions, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

In its 2024 survey, the PSA said 48.8 percent of households — or about 13.56 million — have internet access at home, a significant jump from just 17.7 percent in 2019. The highest access rates were recorded in the National Capital Region (68.7%) and Central Luzon (61.3%), while Zamboanga Peninsula (21.2%) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM (27.7%) had the lowest.

Despite this growth, affordability remains a challenge. The PSA found that 58.3 percent of households without home internet cited the high cost of subscription as the main reason. Similarly, among individuals aged 10 years and older who do not use the internet at all, 41.7 percent also pointed to expensive monthly rates.

Fixed wired broadband was the most common connection type among households with internet access, accounting for 58.8 percent. Mobile broadband followed at 39.3 percent.

On average, Filipino households spent ₱1,069.10 per month for internet service in 2024, down from ₱1,280.59 in 2019. However, NCR households still paid the most at ₱1,290.90 per month, while those in BARMM spent the least at ₱583.00.

Among individual users aged 10 and up, 67.3 percent reported using the internet in 2024. Most users accessed the internet from home (73.1%) and used cellphones (98.8%) to go online.

The top online activity was making calls (94.2%), followed by social networking and posting content (87.3%), and streaming or downloading media (63.6%).

Still, the PSA data suggest that the cost of staying connected continues to limit internet access and use, particularly for lower-income families in rural and conflict-affected regions.