Quezon city: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced on Monday that all public schools currently without internet access will be connected by the end of the year. In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City, Marcos said almost 12,000 public schools throughout the country currently lack internet connections.

According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos assured that the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of Education (DepEd) are working to ensure that every public school will have internet connectivity by the end of the year. He highlighted the completion of phases 1, 2, and 3 of the National Fiber Backbone project, which aims to enhance internet speed nationwide, along with the expansion of DICT's free Wi-Fi project.

The President noted the significant increase in free Wi-Fi sites across the country, rising from 4,000 in June 2022 to nearly 19,000. Additionally, he mentioned the distribution of over a million free SIM cards with data to schools in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs). The initiative is part of a broader effort to improve and accelerate internet speeds, which includes the installation of more towers and cell sites in these areas.

Marcos also encouraged Filipinos to download the eGovPH mobile app, which offers online government services for both Android and iOS users. Currently, the app provides access to over 40 local and national government services, such as renewing driver's licenses, accessing health insurance, and managing documents for overseas Filipino workers, among others.

The app will soon expand its offerings to include services such as NBI clearance requests, Beep cards for Metro Manila trains, and eTIN from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). Marcos emphasized the convenience this app brings, allowing users to complete various government services and processes online without the need for physical queues.