The Philippines is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world, both when it comes to population and development. In the past few years, we’ve seen enormous progress thanks to new technology that can solve the problems unique to this Southeast Asian country.
With a young, connected population, massive change in just a few short years, and surprisingly modern infrastructure, technology is truly transforming the Philippines – and the government is pushing heavily for further developments and implementations.
Let’s explore the ways that technology is impacting the Philippines today by looking at the different sectors where new tech is making a difference.
Internet Infrastructure
PLDT's smart network covers about 97% of the Filipino population, and 5G is actively being rolled out. When it comes to digital infrastructure, the Philippines is doing much better than many think!
The fact that most of the Philippines now has access to the internet opens up loads of other opportunities. People can find information online, stay in touch with relatives across the country, and find out about opportunities they otherwise would never have found out about.
One of the many things that the internet offers is online entertainment. There are loads of videos, music, and games available to explore, both for free and paid options. Online, Filipinos can also choose to bet or gamble. Not only can Filipinos take advantage of thousands of slots at online casinos, but they can also learn how to choose an online casino in the Philippines with the best guides and reviews.
The Philippines is also adopting satellite broadband to reach even remote islands. The government has partnered with SpaceX to bring Starlink to cover rural communities and island provinces where fiber or towers don't reach.
E-Government and Digital Services
Unexpectedly, the Philippines has been one of the first countries to embrace e-government and digital identification. A digital national ID known as PhilSys was launched in 2018 and aims to help register the population of the Philippines digitally and provide them with a valid ID. The PhilSys ID makes use of biometric identification to ensure safe verification.
PhilSys can then be used for things like opening bank accounts, applying for benefits, or instantly registering at e-wallets like GCash.
And that’s not all. The government has also introduced an integrated government portal known as eGovPH that ties together over a thousand government services. These include things like the Land Transportation Office, or LTO, which lets Filipinos renew their driver's license quickly and easily without any office visits. Other public services, like tax payments and business registration, are also moving online.
Not all agencies are yet fully digital, but the trend is a fast-forward movement towards digitalizing these crucial services. This initiative and the centralization of services reduce paperwork and fraud, allowing resources to be allocated elsewhere.
Fintech
In some cases, the Philippines has skipped steps straight to the digital solution. Such is certainly the case when it comes to e-wallets. While only about half of Filipino adults have bank accounts, fintech innovation has made it possible for Filipinos to make digital payments without ever visiting a bank.
And the growth has been incredibly fast. In 2013, only around 1% of transactions were digital. In 2023, 57% are! The apps most commonly used to make digital payments are GCash and PayMaya. As over 70% of Filipino adults use smartphones, the implementation of new mobile fintech has been truly revolutionary for the economy of the Philippines.
Globally, the Philippines ranks among the top countries for e-wallet penetration, along with countries like China, India, the US, and Indonesia.
The Filipino government has been part of the transformation, taking active steps to encourage fintech growth by standardizing QR-codes for payments and pushing new financial services, including lenders.
E-commerce
With the rise of digital payments, e-commerce is also quickly growing. From large platforms like Shopee to local grocery deliveries, buying things online is now part of the everyday life of Filipinos.
Other digital services like ride-hailing apps and food delivery apps are also taking off. The e-commerce market boom reflects a growing middle class and also creates jobs all over the country, furthering the development of new technology.
Education
Education is a cornerstone when it comes to progress, and the Philippines has made big investments in education. The government is investing in making sure that even far-flung schools are getting Wi-Fi connections and the tools and equipment they need. The ambitious goal set is that by the end of 2025, all schools in the Philippines will be connected.
Having access to Wi-Fi gives teachers access to invaluable resources for teaching, as well as free educational curricula and apps.
But the Philippines is doing more than getting the schools connected. The Department of Education is also driving transformation through the implementation of AI and other e-learning tools. The idea is to develop an education system that's data-driven and responsive to each student's needs.
Sustainability and Emerging Tech
One very exciting area of improvement through technology in the Philippines has been farming. Through IoT sensors, drones, and AI, much – including watering, for instance – can be automated. When smart technology is used to assist farming, crops can give higher yields at lower costs. And the penetration rate is surprisingly high, with some estimates of farms using smart technology being over 60% in 2025.
Clean energy has also become a clear priority. The Philippines is shifting to greener power and transport under the new Power Development Plan (2023–2050) with a target of 35% renewable energy by 2030. There's also a push toward rapid EV adoption.
AI is being embraced in all its shapes and forms, with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) having expressed its goals of an “AI-powered Philippines" by 2028.
“Ultimately, by 2028, we envision a future where AI powers inclusive innovation, strengthens governance, uplifts communities, and drives globally competitive industries, building a sustainable, tech-enabled future for all Filipinos,” DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said in a speech at the 2025 National Innovation Day.
The plan is for AI to be applied to all kinds of areas and issues – traffic management, energy monitoring, and disaster response, for instance.
Concluding Thoughts
Aggressive implementation of technology by the Filipino government is causing explosive transformation, and the future-forward focus is paying off. The poverty rate is dropping, and the GDP has been getting higher over the past few years. While any investment takes time, it sure seems like the Philippines is going in the right direction.
That said, there's still lots of room for growth. A big challenge the Philippines has to face is investing in infrastructure that ensures even the more remote people get access and no one gets left behind.
Lots of projects have been initiated, and goal posts put up – now the challenge is in both executing and sustaining the growth. A country that grows too fast in the technological sector, like a smart city without proper protection from cyberattacks, may be left vulnerable. While the progress in the Philippines is commendable, the robustness of the approach is yet to be seen.
