世界銀行-為所有菲律賓人提供更好的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)：改革促進(jìn)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)和增加寬帶基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施投資-政策說(shuō)明（英）-2024.1

BETTERINTERNET

FOR

ALL

FILIPINOS:Reforms

Promoting

Competitionand

Increasing

Investment

forBroadband

InfrastructureJanuary

2024A

PolicyNote?InternationalBank

forReconstructionandDevelopment/

The

World

Bank1818HStreetNWWashingtonDC

20433Telephone:

202-473-1000Internet:Thiswork

isaproductof

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isgiven.Any

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World

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World

Bank,

1818HStreetNW,

Washington,

DC

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USA;fax:202-522-2625;e-mail:pubrights@.Cover

design:MichelleLomibaoiAcknowledgementThispolicy

notewaspreparedby

the

World

Bank

PhilippinesDigitalDevelopmentteamledby

NaotoKanehira(SeniorDigitalDevelopmentSpecialist),

includingMary

GraceMirandilla-Santos(Consultant)andMitch

Abdon(Consultant),

withFinance,

Competitiveness,

andInnovationteamincludingJaimeFrias(SeniorEconomist),

Luis

AndresRazon

Abad(SeniorPrivateSectorDevelopmentSpecialist),

andKimberly

May

BaltaoChandra(Consultant),

undertheoverallguidanceof

MaheshUttamchandani(DigitalDevelopmentPracticeManager,

East

AsiaandPaci?c).

JonathanMarskell(SeniorDigitalDevelopmentSpecialist),

BiondiSandaSima(Consultant),

SharonFayeAlariaoPiza(Economist),

IreneJoEstigoy

Arzadon(Consultant),AnshumanSinha(Consultant),

ToniKristianEliasz

(SeniorDigitalDevelopmentSpecialist),

andSon

Tuan

Vo

(Consultant)contributedto

thebackgroundresearchandreports.

SamiaMelhem(Lead

DigitalDevelopmentSpecialist)andAlvaroGonzalez

(Lead

Economist)peerreviewedthedraftandprovided

valuablecomments.AdvicewasalsoreceivedfromFengLiu(InfrastructureProgramLeader),

GonzaloJ.

Varela(EquitableGrowth,

FinanceandInstitutionsProgramLeader),

AndreaBarone(SeniorEconomist),

RajendraSingh(SeniorDigitalDevelopmentSpecialist),

Paul

PhumpiuChang(SeniorEconomist),

andDavitMelikyan(SeniorPublic

SectorSpecialist).The

teamisgratefulfortheguidanceandsupportfromthe

World

Bank

PhilippinesCountry

Managementledby

NdiameDiop(Country

Director)andDandanChen(OperationsManager)andfromtheExternalRelationsandCommunicationsteamledby

ClarissaCrisostomoDavid(SeniorExternal

AffairsOf?cer)aswellastheadministrativesupportprovidedby

Teresita

Fallado

Victoria(Program

Assistant)and

ZoeAdrielPalispisEscobar(TeamAssistant).The

reportwaseditedby

IsabelitaOrlinaReyes

(Consultant),

andthegraphic

designerwasMichelleLomibao

(Consultant).Theteamsincerely

thankspartnersandcollaborators,

includingScottMinehaneandPaul

Zaman(WindsorPlaceConsulting),

JohnGarrity

andGigo

Alampay

(USAIDBEACON),

KrystalLy

n

Ta

nUy

andPhilip

AmadeusD.

Libre(NEDA)forgenerously

sharingknowledge,contributingto

backgroundresearch,

andcoordinatinginitiatives.Table

of

ContentsListof

Figuresand

TablesivAbbreviationsvExecutiveSummaryvi1.

Context:

Poor

Internet

ConstrainsInclusiveRecovery

and

Growth2.

Problem:MarketandRegulatory

Failures2.1

‘Divided’

MarketStructureandUnderinvestmentinRuralInfrastructure2.2InadequateandLaggingPolicy

Framework3.

Policy

andRegulatory

Gaps:Industry-Wide

Challenges3.1Barriersto

MarketEntry

andInvestment3.2UnlevelPlayingField155101414151720202225272732353746464852573.3IneffectiveInfrastructureSharingPolicy

Framework4.

Policy

andRegulatory

Gaps:SpectrumManagementDeep-Dive4.1OutdatedLegal

Frameworks4.2UnclearProceduresinSpectrumRecall

andReassignment4.3SuboptimalFiscalandEconomic

Outcomesof

SpectrumPolicy5.

Ways

Forward:ImprovingPhilippineBroadbandInfrastructure5.1UrgentBroadbandInfrastructurePolicy

Reforms5.2Role

of

theGovernmentinBridgingDigitalDivide6.

ConclusionandRecommendationsReferencesAnnexesAnnex

1:

World

Bank

CEM3.0Growth

AmbitionandStructuralReforms

ToolAnnex

2:

Affordability

DriverIndex

(ADI)Policy

ScoreDataandMethodologyAnnex

3:

Evidence

of

Regulatory

Reforms

Impact

on

Internet

Performance

and

GrowthEndnotesiiiList

of

Figures

and

TablesFigure1.

Fixedandmobilebroadbandaccess,

speed,

andcost,

ASEANcountriesFigure2.

Regionalcomparisonof

proportionofyouthandadultswithICT

skillsFigure3.

Broadbandaccess

trend,

across

ASEANandwithinthePhilippinesFigure4.

Broadbandpenetration,

perpopulationquintileby

municipalpopulationdensity2334Figure5.

ImpactonGDP

annualgrowthof

Philippinesfully

catchingupto

Malaysiain25

years,

inpercent458Figure6.

Telecom

anddigitalconnectivity

marketparticipantsinthePhilippinesFigure7.

Broadbandinternetpenetrationby

connectivity

typesandprovincesFigure8:

Top

operators’

marketshare,

pro?tability,

andinfrastructure,

comparisoninAsiaandPaci?c9Figure9:Infrastructureinvestmentandbroadbandadoption,

thePhilippinesandselectpeers1011Figure10:

Affordability

DriverIndex,

individualpolicy

scores,

andtrendsinselectASEANcountriesFigure11:LegislativeandadministrativelandscapeforPhilippinebroadbandinfrastructure

13Figure12:Operatorsto

governmentpaymentthroughmain?scalchannels,

selectASEANcountries262734Figure13:

“Theory

of

Change”

fortheneededbroadbandinfrastructuremarketreformsFigure14:Differentiatedinterventions?tformarketconstraintsTable

1:Marketperformanceof

Globe/PLDT

andsmallISPsTable

2:Radiofrequency

spectrummanagement

–

PhilippinesandothercountriesTable

3:Globalevidenceontheimpactof

key

reforms82429Box

1:Broadband

Value

Chain5Box

2:Policy

choices,

sequencing,

andtrade-offsinaddressingconnectivity

gapsBox

3:

WhatisUniversalService,

anddoPhilippineoperatorshavesuchobligations?Box

4:InfrastructureSharing

–

policy

trade-offsandpracticesBox

5:

Whatisradiofrequency

spectrum?11161820Box

6:Connectivity

inunservedremoteareaisprovento

generatesigni?cantwelfareimpact30ivAbbreviationsAIArti?cialIntelligenceCAPEXCDNCPCNCSPCapitalExpenditureContentDelivery

NetworkCerti?cateof

Public

ConvenienceandNecessityCloudServiceProviderDICTDSLEBITDAEODepartmentof

InformationandCommunications

TechnologyDigitalSubscriberLineEarningsBeforeInterest,

Taxes,

Depreciation,

and

AmortizationExecutiveOrderFOCFWAFTTHGDPGIDAGNIFiberOptic

CableFixed

Wireless

AccessFiberto

theHomeGrossDomestic

ProductGeographically

IsolatedandDisadvantaged

AreasGrossNationalIncomeICTInformationandCommunications

TechnologyInternetProtocolInternetServiceProviderIPISPIT-BPOITCInformation

Technology

BusinessProcess

OutsourcingIndependent

Tower

CompanyInternetExchangePointJointMemorandumCircularLow

EarthOrbitLocal

GovernmentUnitMobileNetwork

OperatorMicro,

Small,

andMediumEnterpriseNationalBroadbandPlanIXPJMCLEOLGUMNOMSMENBPNEDANGANTCOADTOPEXPANationalEconomic

andDevelopment

AuthorityNationalGovernment

AgencyNational

TelecommunicationsCommissionOpen

Access

inData

TransmissionOperationalExpenditureProvisional

AuthorityPCCPhilippineCompetitionCommissionPhilippineDevelopmentPlanPublic-Private

PartnershipPDPPPPPTEPublic

Telecommunications

EntityPoint

of

PresencePOPPSARAROWSMPUSFUSOVASPhilippineStatistics

AuthorityRepublic

ActRight-of-waySigni?cantMarketPowerUniversalServiceFundUniversalServiceObligationValue

AddedServiceAlldollaramountsareUSdollarsunlessotherwiseindicated.vExec

ut

iveSummaryExecutive

SummaryEquitableaccesstobroadbandservicesisimperativetonarrow

thedigitaldivideandformorepeopletobene?tfromdigitalization.

Digitalizationhasthepotentialto

improveef?ciency,productivity,

andinnovationacross

varioussectors,

anddriveeconomic

growthandjobcreation.Access

to

broadbandisfundamentalto

participatinginacountry’s

digitaltransformation.

However,thedigitaldivideinthePhilippinesisrapidly

expanding.

Intheleastpopulatedareasandremoteislands,

progressinhouseholdInternetpenetrationoverthelast10

yearshasonly

beenathirdofprogressmadeinpopulatedurbancenters.

Ifthepatternremainsunchanged,

thesegapswillgrowwiderandinequity

inaccess

to

opportunitieswillbeexacerbated,

leavingmostof

thepoorbehind.Thegovernment’skey

developmentprioritieswillbejeopardizedifpoorbroadbandaccess

isnotaddressed.Comparedtoother

ASEANcountries,

thePhilippines’

internetconnectivity

lagsinaffordability,speed,

andaccess,

creatinganunevenlandscapefordigitalparticipation.

Thepriceof

?xedbroadband,

essentialforproductivity

(e.g.,

work,

learning,

micro,

small,

andmediumenterprises’participationinthedigitaleconomy),

is11percentof

grossnationalincome(GNI)percapita,

morethanfourtimeshigherthanMalaysiaand

VietNam,

andtwotimeshigherthanthe

ASEANaverage.Thecostof

?xedbroadbandconvertedto

absoluteUSDpriceisthehighestin

ASEAN.

Philippinehouseholdpenetrationof

?xedbroadbandin2022was33percent,

muchlowercomparedto

50percentinMalaysia,

58percentin

Thailand,

and76percentin

VietNam.

Formobilebroadband—consideredthedriverof

consumeradoptionof

e-commerce,

?nancialinclusion,

disasterresponse,andagriculturepractices—activesubscribersin2022were70per100inhabitants,

thelowestamonglarge

ASEANeconomies.The

Philippinesisestimatedto

representmorethan50percentofthe

ASEANpopulationunconnectedto

mobilebroadband.The

costof

amobilebroadbandbasketwas2percentof

GNIpercapita,

1.5timeshigherthanthe

ASEANaverage.Limitedinternetaccess

curbsdigitalpotentialforcitizensandbusinesses,

withperi-urbanconnectivity

beingcriticaltofuturegrowth.

UNdatarevealsthatin2019,

only

2percentof

Filipinoyouthandadultscouldusebasic

arithmetic

formulasinExcel,

6percentcouldcopy

andpasteintoadocument,

and7

percentcouldattacha?leto

anemail.

Clearly,

broadsystemic

educationalchallengesneedaddressing.

However,

acquiringICT

skillsisnotpossibleifchildrenareunableto

digitally

connectinthe?rstplace.

Similarly,

forenterprises,

weak

internetaccess

resultsininsuf?cienttechnology

adoption,

especially

amongmicro-,

small,

andmediumenterprises(MSMEs).TheIT-BPO

industry,

thedriverof

employmentandserviceexportgrowth,

isstillconstrainedinmany

locations.The

Philippineswasthelastinvestmentdestinationamongmajor

ASEANeconomiesforhyper-scalercloudserviceproviders,

suchas

AWS

andGoogleCloud.viThecountry’s

poorbroadbandinfrastructureisrootedinoutdatedpolicy

frameworksthatsti?einvestmentinruralareasandfosteramarket

with

weak

competition,

bothofwhichhinderbroadbandexpansion.

Lawsonconnectivity

haveremainedunchangeddespite

vasttechnologicaladvancements,

evolvingbusinessmodels,

andwideningaccess

gap.

ThebroadbandmarketinthePhilippinesisaneffectiveduopoly.

Thetoptwoplayersare

vertically

integrated:they

owninternational,

backbone,

middle-,

andlast-mileconnectivity,

inthemostconcentrated,

mostpro?table,

andleastinvestedmarketintheregion.Accordingto

Affordability

DriverIndex

(ADI)policy

scores,

thePhilippinesisamongtheleastfavorableinthe

ASEANintermsof

policyenvironmentforaffordablebroadbandandisamongtheslowestintheworldinpromotinganymajorreformsforaffordablebroadband.

Unlikemostothercountries,

thePhilippinesneitherincentivizesnorobligesitslargestoperatorsto

expandruralbroadbandcoverage.Hundredsof

smallinternetserviceproviders(ISPs)extendbroadbandservicesinruralareaswhilefacinganunlevelplaying?eld.

Over

thelast15

years,

regionalandglobalpeershaveinvestedmoreandrolledout?xedandmobilecoveragefaster.

Over

100countriesduringthisperiodhaveinvestedatleast1percentof

GDP

intelecominfrastructureforatleastone

year;inmany

countries,forseveralconsecutive

years.

ThePhilippineshasinvestedless,

particularly

inrecentyears—from0.64percentof

GDP

in2018to

0.44percentin2022.BindingconstraintsunderlyingthePhilippines’

poorbroadbandinfrastructureareinter-related,requiringacomprehensivepackageof

reformsto

yielddesiredentry,

investment,

andsectorperformanceoutcomes.

Keyregulatory

weaknessesinclude:Barriers

to

market

entry

and

investment.

Thepoliticalandquasi-judicialnatureof

franchisingandlicensingdiscouragesnew

andsmallplayersfromenteringandthrivinginthebroadbandmarket.

Thelongandtediouslicensingprocesscreatesuncertainty

andincreasesthecostofinvestingindigitalinfrastructure.The

Philippinesremainstheonly

country

worldwidethatstillrequiresalegislativefranchisefortheconstructionandoperationof

networks.Unlevel

playing

?eld.

Highbarriersto

entry

havehistorically

encouragedthesectortoconsolidate,

withthefranchisingandlicensingregimefavoringthebusinessmodelsof

large,vertically

integratedtelcosandexcludingsmallISPs

thatrely

onthetelcosforwholesalebandwidthandfacilities.There

arenoregulationspreventinganti-competitiveinterconnectionpricediscrimination,

asituationdisadvantageousto

smallISPs.

Therearenoregulationstocurtaildominanceof

operatorswithsigni?cantmarketpower.viiIneffective

infrastructure

sharing

policy

framework.

Lack

ofa

passive

infrastructuresharingpolicyframework,

weak

coordination

amongoperators

andregulators,

andtheabsence

of

information

onexisting

andplannedinfrastructure,

make

network

deployment

costly

andinef?cient.Lack

of

modern

spectrum

policy

framework.

Radio

spectrum

managementisbasedonanalog-eralawsenacted

inthe1930sand1990s.

Unlike

inothercountries,

thePhilippinesallows

anassignee

to

inde?nitely

holdspectrum

anddoesnotrequire

any

service

obligation.

Procedures

inspectrum

recall

andreassignmentareunclear,

andspectrum

assignmentandusenon-transparent,causingspectrum

fragmentation,

spectrum

scarcity,

andunder-collection

of

government

revenue.The

Open

Access

inData

Transmission

(OADT)

billisa

promising,viable

start,

amongseveralproposalsin

Congress.

TheHouseof

Representatives

approved

theOADT

billinDecember

2022,

andtheSenate

iscurrently

deliberatingitatthecommittee

level.

The

billaimsto

introducea

regulatoryframework

to

expand

Internet

infrastructureandimprove

Internet

services

by

encouraging

moreinvestment

inbroadbandinfrastructure,

especially

inthecountryside.

Itwilldosoby

simplifyingandrationalizingtheentry

process

for

network

providers,

thereby

allowing

moreISPs

to

buildandoperatebroadbandinfrastructure,

especially

incommunities

notserved

by

largetelcos.

The

billwillfast-trackandmake

network

rolloutmorecost-ef?cient,

includingfor

smallplayers

andcommunity

networks,

bypromotinginfrastructuresharing.

Finally,

itwilldemocratize

access

to

broadbandtechnologies,

bothwiredandwireless,

especially

for

geographically

isolated

anddisadvantagedareas.Policymakers

could

buildonimmediate

reforms

throughtheopenaccess

billasanentry

pointto

broaderandmedium-

to

longer-term

digitalconnectivity

agenda.

Thenext

phaseof

spectrumreforms,

suchasmobilespectrum

restacking,

regional

spectrum

licensing,

pilotingspectrum

auctionandrevising

SUFpricing,

could

bene?tfromand/orreinforce,

theimmediate

reforms

throughtheOADT

bill.

This

willserve

asanintermediate

step

to

ensureadequate

?scalpolicy

optionsforlonger-term

agendato

lower

end-userprice

for

broadbandconnectivity

andexpand

ruralcoveragewhilemaximizinga

scarce

spectrumresource.The

government’s

infrastructureinvestments(suchasthroughtheNationalFiberBackboneandBroadbandngMasa)cancomplement

pro-competition

reforms

ina

justi?able,

ef?cient,

andsustainablemanner.

Government

competency

willneed

strengtheninginterms

of

designandimplementationof

policy

reforms

andcomplementaryinitiatives.Thecost

of

inaction—lossof

growth

opportunity,

people

remainingunequipped

for

futurejobs,

andwideningof

thedigitaldivide—istoo

highfor

thePhilippines.

Outdated

policy

andregulations

havelongstunted

thegrowth

of

thecountry’s

broadbandindustry

andexpansion

of

digitalinfrastructure.Forinclusive

growth

throughdigitalizationthatbene?tsallFilipinos,

updatingPhilippinepolicy

topromote

competition,

encourage

investment,

andupgradebroadbandinfrastructureisurgentandnecessary.viii1.

Conte

xt1.

CONTEXT:Poor

Internet

ConstrainsInclusive

Recovery

and

GrowthDigitalizationisakey

developmentpriorityforthePhilippines.

InhisStateof

theNationAddressinJuly

2023,

PresidentFerdinandMarcos,

Jr.

stated,“Digitalizationisthecalloftoday;notof

thefuture—butof

thepresent,”“government

mustfully

embracedigitalizationto

providebetterserviceto

thepeople,”

and“theNationalIDsystemwillbeatthecoreof

thisdigitally

transformednetwork

ofgovernmentservices.”constitutesdigitalpublic

infrastructurecriticalfordigitalization.The

Philippinesisalsoanearly

adopterof

theCloudFirstPolicyandaregionalleaderincross-borderdata?ows

viamultiplyinglayersof

internationalconnectivity,

bothof

whichmakethecountryapotentialregionalconnectivity

hub.Filipinosspend11hoursdaily

online(Licsi2022)andover70percentof

thepopulationaredigitalnativesready

to

harnessthesepotentials.ThePhilippineDevelopmentPlan(PDP)2023-28(NEDA

2023)emphasizedadvancingandexpandingaccess

to

digitalinfrastructureanddigitalizingtransactionsandservicedelivery,

whileenhancingdataprivacyanddatasharing.

ThePlanrecognizesthepotentialof

digitalizationto

improveef?ciency,

productivity,

andinnovationacrossgovernmentand

variousbusinesssectors,whichinturnwilldriveeconomic

growthandjobcreation.

AsthePhilippinesisontrack

to

beanupper-middleincomecountry,digitalizationiskey

to

ensuringthateveryonecanbene?tfromeconomic

growth.However,

accessing

theinternet

istooexpensive

for

mostFilipinos.

Thestate

of

both?xed

andmobileinternet

inthePhilippineslagsbehindregional

middle-income

peersonaccess,

speed,

andcost

(Figure1).

For?xedbroadband,

essentialfor

productivity

(e.g.for

remote

work,

remote

learning,

microandsmallenterprises’

participation

inthedigitaleconomy),

householdpenetrationin2022was33percent,

atthelower

endof

the

ASEAN.Fixed

broadbandbasket

cost

wasmorethan11percent

of

GNIpercapita—morethanfourtimeshigherthanMalaysiaand

VietNam,twice

higherthanthe

ASEANaverage,

andthehighestin

ASEANinabsolute

USDprice—makingbroadbandinternet

unaffordableto

thelower-income

population.

Formobilebroadband,

often

thedriver

of

consumeradoptionof

e-commerce,

?nancialinclusion,disaster

response,

andagriculturepractices,in2022,

active

subscribersinthePhilippineswere

70per100inhabitants,

thelowestamonglarge

ASEANeconomies.The

country

isestimated

to

representmorethanhalfof

theASEANpopulationnotconnected

to

mobilebroadband.The

cost

ofa

mobilebroadbandbasket

was2

percent

of

GNIpercapita,

1.5timeshigherthanthe

ASEANaverage.ThePhilippinesispoisedtobene?tfromdigitalizationgivenitsindustrialecosystem,ongoingdigitalprogress,

andpopulationdemographics.

Digitalindustriesaredrivinggrowth.

ThePhilippineStatistics

Authority(PSA

2023)estimatedthatthedigitaleconomy,composedof

digital-enablinginfrastructure,e-commerce,

anddigitalmedia/content,expandedby

11percentandcontributed9.4percentto

GDP

in2022.

Thedigitalpaymentssystem,

whichismoreadvancedthanthatofregionalpeers,

combinedwiththePhilippineIdenti?cationSystem(PhilSys)(registering81percentof

Filipinos5

yearsoldandabove),1Figure

1.

Fixed

and

mobile

broadband

access,

speed,

and

cost,

ASEAN

countriesFixedBroadbandMobileBroadbandAccessFixedbroadbandpenetration(%ofhouseholds,2022,TeleGeography)SpeedMediandownloadspeed(Mbps,Nov2023,Ookla)CostFixedbroadbandbasket(%ofGNIpercapita,2022,ITU)AccessActivemobilebroadbandsubscribers(per100inhabitants,2022,ITU)SpeedMediandownloadspeed(Mbps,Nov2023,Ookla)CostMobilebroadbandbasket(%ofGNIpercapita,2022,ITU)SingaporeBrunei1111082640.61.22.63.42.5156950.20.30.41.40.32.01.12.12.39411974Viet

NamThailandMalaysiaPhilippinesIndonesiaLao

PDRCambodiaMyanmar76105974758216122415011212767339211.311.670912825292623181228336.17.25610261029782015.33.1Source:

TeleGeography,

Ookla,

andITU.

Note:

Dottedlinesshow

ASEANaverages.7Weak

internetconstrainsbroaderdigitalopportunities.

UNdatareportingontheprogressof

SDG

Target

4.4.1(Youth

and

AdultswithICT

Skills)revealsthatonly

2percentof

Filipino

youthandadultscanusebasicarithmetic

formulasinExcel;

6percentcancopy

andpasteinadocument;and7

percentcanattacha?leto

anemail.

Acrossmostoftheseactivities,

Filipinosareby

fartheleastskilledintheregion(Figure2).

Whilebroadereducationalsystemchallengesneedto

betackled,

improvementsinskillsforfuturejobsareunrealistic

ifchildrenareunabletodigitally

connect.

Similarly,

forindustries,

weakinternet8

translatesto

?rms’

weak

anduneventechnology

adoption,9

limitinginnovationandproductivity

growth(WorldBank

2022,

2023).Forexample,

theIT-BPO

industry,

whichhasbeenthedriverof

employmentandserviceexportgrowth,

isstillconstrainedinquiteafew

locations—industry

survey

participantsrevealedexpansionplansinmorethan10citiesbeyondNCR,

Cebu,

andDavaowithlimitedperi-urbandigitalconnectivity.10Thegapinaccesstodigitalinfrastructurepersistedandexpandedthroughthe

COVIDcrisisandtherecovery

periodafterwards.Regionalpeershavecontinuedto

makesustaineddigitalaccess

improvementswhileinthePhilippines,

the

“jump”

in?xedbroadbandpenetrationduringtheCOVIDcrisisturnedoutto

bemerely

temporary(Figure3).

Lower

incomehouseholdsareincreasingly

leftbehind.

Intheleastpopulatedareasandremoteislands,progressinhouseholdInternetpenetrationoverthelast10

yearshasonly

beenathirdof

progressmadeinpopulatedurbancenters(Figure4).

Ifthepatternremainsunchanged,

digitalizationwillnotcontributeto

poverty

alleviationandunequalaccess

toopportunitieswillbeexacerbated.Forfastereconomic

growth,

broadbandinfrastructurehasbeenidenti?edasamongthemostsigni?cantgaps,

alongwitheaseof

doingbusiness.

ForthePhilippines,

fullycatchingupwithMalaysiaintelecomsinfrastructureandbusinessregulationsover25

yearsisestimatedto

contribute2.75percentof

the3.21percentchangeinannualGDP

growth(Figure5).15Unfortunately,

thePhilippineshasbeenthelastinvestmentdestinationamongmajorASEANeconomiesforhyper-scalercloudservice

providers

suchas

Amazon

andGoogle.112Figure

2.

Regional

comparison

ofproportion

of

youth

and

adultswith

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