Marcos cites importance of digitalization, key role of fast, affordable internet

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday stressed the importance of digitalization, and fast and affordable internet service in the country.

According to Marcos, the cable television and cable internet industry "served as an important platform

that helped our people survive during calamities, during emergencies."

"We cannot do business without good internet coverage. we cannot trade with other countries without good internet. and without telecommunication, we cannot do all of the things that are necessary to transform our economy without good connectivity, with a high bandwidth , with good speed, and at a very affordable price," Marcos said at the  23rd International Cable Television and Telecommunications Congress at the Manila Hotel.

Marcos further said the cable industry has played a very large part in the transformation of our economies into the digital world.

"And as we all know, COVID changed everything. You were part of that change. Everything now is done online and we unfortunately in government have fallen behind," Marcos said.

"And so that is what we are trying to catch up, that is why the digitalization program of this government has been at the forefront of all our efforts," the President added.

The Marcos administration has been pushing for digitalization to improve services to the Filipino people.

Marcos said it is vital for the cable industry to closely collaborate with the government in pursuing initiatives for the digitization of our services, the expansion of our MSMEs, and the establishment of information and communications technologies in remote areas in the country.

"If we are to sustain our soaring economy, we must help small- to medium-scale industries in using digital platforms to improve their services and to connect with their consumers and also their colleagues in the same industry or in the same line of business," Marcos said.

The Federation of International Cable TV and Telecommunications Association of the Philippines is the national umbrella organization of more than 300 cable television operators and WIFI providers throughout the country, from Basco, Batanes to Tawi-Tawi. —NB, GMA Integrated News