Manila, July 8 -- Around 1.4 million Filipinos and over 1,000 additional government offices will have faster and more reliable internet connections once Phases 2 and 3 of the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) program are completed.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the NFB Phases 2 and 3 will push high-speed internet deeper into the Cagayan Region, Calabarzon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and key areas in Mindanao such as the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Davao.

"These expansions will significantly increase the country's digital capacity, enabling more local governments, schools, health centers, and communities to connect and thrive," it said.

This was after President Ferdinand R. ...