The Philippines spends the highest amount of time online in Asia Pacific

Statista says the Philippines has the highest amount of time connected to the internet, spending roughly 10 hours daily. The statistics website credits this positive growth to its improving internet infrastructures. Soon, the platform says around 77.81% of the country’s population will have internet access in 2028.

This study shows that the Philippines has been steadily adapting to global digitalization. However, DICT Undersecretary Jocelle Batapa-Sigue stressed it brings new challenges the country must overcome.

You will likely face similar issues in your country, so you should see how your government may react. This article will discuss the Philippines’ growing internet usage. Then, I will cover other ways the Department of Information and Communications Technology plans to address its potential risks.

More details about the Philippines’ growing online usage

Photo Credit: spot.ph

Statista says the country’s efforts to boost online connectivity encouraged people to use the internet more frequently. It enhanced the country’s average download speed to 81.42 Mbps.

MSN also reported data from the Department of Information and Communications Technology, which states 83% of Filipinos use the Internet. Undersecretary Jocelle Batapa-Sigue said:

“The Philippines is already – I think, in five or six successive surveys, global surveys – first in terms of use of internet. The world average is only around six hours (of internet use daily). In the Philippines, we have more than 10 hours exposure.”

“The global average use of internet for social media is two to three hours only. But in the Philippines, it is four to five hours. It is double,” she cited.

“There are many countries with strong internet and many users of the internet. But they use it for productive means, for learning for employment, for building new enterprises, for government transactions.”

On the other hand, a recent Inquirer report says 77% of Filipinos prefer using the Internet for social media. Consequently, Telenor Asia, an international telecommunications company, said Filipinos are the “most virtually social.”

What are the online challenges for the Philippines?

Photo Credit: spot.ph

Telenor Asia said, “All generations expect to increase time spent on social media in the next two years.” However, most Filipinos aren’t using it productively.

“That is why it is important that when we say digital divide, it is not only about connectivity. The digital divide is also caused by a digital gap in terms of skills. We need to really emphasize digital skilling, especially in the countryside.”

DICT Undersecretary Jocelle Batapa-Sigue reacted to the Philippines’ internet usage statistics. She said the country’s 18 to 25-year-old population, or “Generation Z,” rarely uses the web to learn helpful information.

“They are more on social media. They buy there, study there, and they are networking (through social media). When you say social media, it’s not only Facebook. There are so many social media platforms, from Instagram, TikTok,” she stated.

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Moreover, she expressed her disappointment that many micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) aren’t benefiting from the increased online usage. They cannot boost productivity because they don’t use or benefit from digital payment systems.

“There are many scams in digital payments, but these are small cases which we need to really regulate and protect. But overall, digital payments make our MSMEs more global, more competitive.”

“So anyway, the data now is – each of the almost 99 percent of Filipinos on the internet has actually one social media platform. So, when you are on the internet, you have one social media platform. What I’m saying is we need to understand that even government agencies need to go to social media to provide access to information.”

Conclusion

Recent statistics show that the Philippines spends the most amount of time online in the Asia Pacific. According to Statista, most Filipinos use the internet roughly 10 hours daily.

Jørgen C. Arentz, the head of Telenor Asia, warned, “This growth comes with even higher expectations of mobile operators as people seek more dependable, faster mobile networks.”

According to the MSN report, DICT Undersecretary shared potential solutions, such as making the government more visible on social media. Learn more digital tips and trends at Inquirer Tech.

Frequently asked questions about the Philippines’ online usage

What is the Philippines’ internet usage rank?

According to Statista, the Philippines is number one among the Asia Pacific countries that spend the most time on the Internet. However, the country is 23rd among APAC countries and 7th in South East Asia regarding internet resiliency. The Internet Society explains it refers to maintaining connectivity in the face of challenges.

Which country has the highest number of internet users?

Online trend tracker Exploding Topics said China has the highest number of internet users. Nearly three in four people (74.36%) use online services. India ranks second with 692 million online, and the United States is third with 331.9 million users.

Why do Filipinos use the Internet?

According to Inquirer, 77% of internet users in the Philippines go online to socialize. Also, Statista said they spend the second largest amount of time on streaming videos and music. In response, DICT Undersecretary Jocelle Batapa-Sigue said more Filipinos should use the internet for more productive purposes.