Manila: Satellite internet will be provided to various areas nationwide to help boost digital payments and financial education programs of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), an executive said Monday. BSP Deputy Governor Berna Puyat, during a learning session with journalists here, said they are now in talks with Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda for this provision. 'This will improve connectivity in underserved areas,' she said.

According to Philippines News Agency, Puyat said she approached Aguda in 2025 to request for internet connection in more areas in the country to allow more Filipinos to have the access to the BSP E-learning Academy (BELA), a self-paced online financial education platform of the central bank. She noted that the platform's roughly 24,000 unique users are unlikely to make a difference given the country's large population.

Puyat has received feedback from people who want to pursue financial education after work but are hindered by internet connection issues. She also mentioned that her discussion with Aguda was productive, as the DICT chief went beyond BELA and highlighted the necessity to enhance internet connectivity for the PalengQR PH program.

The BSP is currently compiling a list of areas in dire need of internet connection reinforcement to ensure the effective implementation of the Paleng-QR program, which enables users to pay merchants using quick response (QR) codes. To date, around 180 local governments in the country are already part of this digital payments initiative.