MANILA — Isolated, underserved, and underprivileged areas in the Philippines will soon gain access to affordable internet services following the signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Konektadong Pinoy Act.

In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure fast, reliable, and affordable internet connectivity, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and other government agencies signed the IRR on Wednesday in Malacañang.

DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said the Konektadong Pinoy Act is a priority measure under the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) and a key initiative of the administration’s Bagong Pilipinas governance framework.

“Layunin nitong pabilisin ang koneksyon, pababain ang halaga – ibig sabihin, dapat mas mura ang service po natin sa internet – at palawakin ang access sa internet lalo na sa mga lugar na unserved, underserved at sa mga GIDAs o geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,” Aguda said in a press briefing.

According to Aguda, the newly signed IRR will streamline the entry of new internet service providers, strengthen competition in the telecommunications sector, and speed up the processing of permits and registrations to lower the cost of internet services.

The IRR also includes the implementation of the “Dig Once Policy,” which mandates the simultaneous installation of fiber cables in government infrastructure projects to save time and reduce costs.

The signing ceremony was led by Secretary Aguda, together with Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan; Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince B. Dizon; Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor C. Remulla; Department of Transportation (DOTr) Acting Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez; National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Commissioner Ella Blanca B. Lopez; and Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo.

Aguda also announced that with support from the Australian Government through the Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I) program, the DICT has completed a national mapping of fiber cables across the country. The project aims to accelerate the “fiberization” of households and reduce connectivity costs with private sector participation.

“Alam na natin iyong mga 50 percent na household sa Pilipinas na may fiber optic connectivity. Siyempre alam na rin natin kung ano iyong 50 percent na walang fiber optic connectivity,” Aguda said.

“Iyan po ay pagsisikapan na nating gawing 100 percent para kahit saan pong bahay ay mayroon tayong fiber optic option,” he added.

With the IRR in place, the DICT said it is ready to begin the nationwide fiberization of homes, in line with President Marcos’ goal of achieving fast, reliable, and affordable internet connectivity before 2028.

The Konektadong Pinoy Act was signed into law on August 24 and took effect on September 14, 2025. The DICT, in coordination with other government agencies and stakeholders—including the World Bank—crafted the IRR within 90 days of the law’s effectivity.