Globe Telecom said it is expanding mobile connectivity in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) and underserved communities, supporting the country’s digital transformation where it’s needed most.
“We’re no longer connecting only where it’s profitable—we’re connecting where it matters most,” Carl Cruz, Globe president and chief executive said.
“We’re building more than infrastructure—we’re enabling opportunity. We are opening doors for millions of Filipinos to participate meaningfully in the digital economy,” he said.
Globe’s vision of widespread connectivity is actively realized through its support for the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s Bayanihan SIM initiative.
This program provides vital mobile access to students, teachers, health workers, and local government units (LGUs) in remote communities.
Currently, 7,063 barangays are classified as Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs), encompassing nearly 25 million residents.
As of 2024, Globe had already activated over 600 cell sites within these GIDAs, significantly boosting connectivity where it’s needed most.
Despite the Philippines being one of Southeast Asia’s most active digital populations—with Filipinos spending an average of 8 hours and 52 minutes online daily, according to the Digital 2025 report—access remains highly uneven.
Only 33 percent of households nationwide were subscribed to fixed broadband as of 2024, based on the latest figures from the DICT.
Mobile connectivity in many GIDAs remains unreliable or unavailable, leaving vast segments of the population excluded from the country’s digital momentum.
These gaps underscore why inclusive access is no longer just a development aspiration—it’s a national imperative.
Globe is responding with deliberate investments in expanding its mobile footprint to cover underserved areas.
This includes the enhancement of existing cell sites, the deployment of energy-efficient infrastructure, and the gradual migration from legacy networks to more reliable LTE services.
The company is also optimizing its use of shared infrastructure to reach farther, faster.
“If user data consumption is surging past 30 GB per month per user, then our strategy is not just about connectivity—it’s about empowering households, enabling SMEs, and growing the digital economy,” Cruz said.
These efforts are part of Globe’s broader commitment to equitable growth and long-term nation-building. Connectivity in underserved areas is more than a business opportunity—it’s a responsibility. By delivering mobile access in areas where education, health, and livelihoods depend on digital tools, Globe is helping to uplift communities, unlock potential, and close the access gap.
“We’re committed to connecting the unconnected,” Cruz said. “Because when we bring connectivity to underserved areas, we’re not just improving signal—we’re improving futures,” he said.