Manuel V. Pangilinan joined DICT Secretary Henry Aguda in a meeting under the “Oplan Bantay Signal” initiative to address persistent connectivity gaps in Visayas and Mindanao.
Despite improved speeds and fewer complaints, rural areas in the country still lag far behind urban centers, showcasing the government’s push to ensure reliable, nationwide coverage.
The July 2026 meeting brought together government and industry leaders to review PLDT and Smart’s second-quarter performance.
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda reported that Smart recorded faster network speeds and an 89% drop in customer complaints since January, while PLDT Home Fiber showed improved download and upload speeds.
However, officials acknowledged that signal gaps remain in parts of Visayas and Mindanao, requiring urgent attention.
The country’s largest network provider is committed to accountability and collaboration under the banner of “Digital Bayanihan.”, as evidenced by Pangilinan’s participation as chairman of PLDT Inc., the parent company of Smart Communications.
PLDT Inc., through its wireless arm Smart Communications, is the country’s largest telecom provider. Smart consistently leads in mobile data speeds, averaging 68 Mbps nationwide, compared to Globe’s 52 Mbps and DITO’s 55 Mbps.
PLDT Home Fiber is also a major player in fixed broadband, supporting remote work, education, and e-commerce.
As industry leaders, PLDT and Smart’s performance directly shapes the digital experience of millions of Filipinos.
Addressing the Connectivity Gaps
By 2026, internet penetration in the Philippines reached 78%, with 98 million Filipinos online.
However, the digital divide persists: 92% of urban households have internet access compared to only 45% in rural areas.
Smartphone penetration is high at 84%, but digital literacy remains at 65%, limiting effective use of online services. Average broadband speeds have improved to 150 Mbps, yet rural areas still struggle with last-mile connectivity.
The government’s challenge is clear: while urban centers enjoy fast, reliable internet, rural provinces and island communities remain underserved. This inequality hampers education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
Connectivity improvements aim to close these gaps, but infrastructure limitations, high costs, and geographic barriers continue to slow progress.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is spearheading reforms to expand affordable internet.
Its National Digital Connectivity Plan (NDCP) 2024–2028 prioritizes free Wi-Fi in schools, health facilities, and underserved areas.
In 2026, DICT rolled out reforms including the Bayanihan SIM Project, which provides free SIM cards with 25GB monthly data to remote schools and 4Ps beneficiaries, and launched free Wi-Fi at EDSA Busway stations.
Oplan Bantay Signal is DICT’s flagship program to monitor and improve mobile and internet service quality.
It empowers citizens to submit speed tests and report weak signals, giving regulators data to pressure telcos into fixing coverage issues.
Senator Erwin Tulfo emphasized that the initiative must prioritize reliability and accessibility, not just speed test results, especially in rural areas where connectivity remains fragile.
These initiatives aim to ensure that connectivity reaches even the most isolated communities.
How ICT and Finance Collide in the Philippines
The push to fix connectivity gaps in Visayas and Mindanao under Oplan Bantay Signal is not just about improving mobile coverage—it directly intersects with the financial sector.
In the Philippines, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and finance are increasingly inseparable.
Reliable signal and internet access are the backbone of digital banking, e-wallets, and fintech platforms. Without ICT infrastructure, financial inclusion stalls; without financial services, ICT adoption loses one of its most practical use cases.
Recent industry analyses show that the finance sector is projected to command the Philippine ICT market, driven by the rapid expansion of digital payments, e-wallets, and online banking.
This means that telcos like PLDT and Smart are not just competing in the telecom space—they are enabling the growth of financial platforms that depend on stable connectivity.
Every improvement in signal reliability translates into more transactions, more remittances processed, and more Filipinos participating in the digital economy.
The collision of ICT and finance is most visible in rural areas. When connectivity is weak, residents cannot access mobile banking or e-wallet services, leaving them excluded from affordable transfers, bill payments, and government aid disbursements.
Conversely, when ICT infrastructure expands, financial platforms immediately follow, offering tools that empower communities to save, invest, and transact digitally.
This harmony is why DICT’s connectivity initiatives and BSP’s financial inclusion roadmap are deeply aligned—they both aim to dismantle barriers that keep Filipinos from participating fully in the digital economy.
Technology is a Tool that Leverages Finance
Across the world, information technology has become the critical bridge connecting underbanked populations to financial services.
In countries like Kenya, mobile money platforms such as M-Pesa transformed access to finance by allowing people without bank accounts to send and receive money through basic mobile phones. This innovation reduced reliance on cash, enabled microloans, and supported small businesses in rural communities.
In India, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has allowed millions of citizens to transact digitally with minimal fees, even without traditional bank accounts. Through smartphones and QR codes, UPI created a low-cost, interoperable system that democratized access to payments and financial services.
Closer to home, the Philippines has seen similar progress with QR Ph, which unifies payments across banks and e-wallets. This interoperability ensures that even small sari-sari stores can accept digital payments, expanding financial inclusion to communities that previously relied solely on cash.
These international and local examples show that IT infrastructure—whether mobile networks, QR systems, or blockchain rails—can dismantle barriers to finance.
When costs are reduced, onboarding is simplified, and remote access is enabled, technology empowers the underbanked to participate in the digital economy.
DOPAY Tapping Underbanked Filipinos
Reliable connectivity is not just about streaming or remote work—it is the foundation for digital finance inclusion.
Platforms like DOPAY, a BSP-licensed Electronic Money Issuer (EMI) and Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP), depend on stable internet to deliver minimal-fee transfers, bill payments, and crypto integration.
DOPAY’s mission is to serve the underbanked in far provinces and islands, ensuring that even communities with historically weak connectivity can access secure, affordable financial services.
As DICT and PLDT work to close signal gaps, DOPAY complements these efforts by providing inclusive financial tools.
Together, improved connectivity and affordable digital finance can empower Filipinos across the archipelago, making inclusion not just a policy goal but a lived reality.
Download the DOPAY app today!
