World Bank funds study on Web usage in RP

MANILA, Philippines – The World Bank is funding a a comprehensive study that will measure PC and Internet penetration in the Philippines.

The study is conducted partnership with the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT). A consultant is already working with the CICT to gather initial data.

The study is expected to be finished before the end of the year. It will cover computer and telecommunications service providers, according to CICT chairman Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua.

The results of the study will become the basis for long-term policies on universal access for the Philippines, which the CICT hopes to develop.

Roxas-Chua said PC and Internet penetration in the Philippines remains small despite improvements in infrastructure and availability of cheaper hardware.

He pointed out that majority of PC and Internet use is limited to major cities but many rural areas in the Philippines have yet to benefit from these services.

Moreover, he said previous studies nly measured PC and Internet use in Internet cafes, which flourish in many areas in the Philippines.

Price of computers, availability of connectivity in certain areas, and lack of local Internet content that would spur usage are among the issues that deny most people from acquiring computers, Roxas-Chua said.

“We also want to know what other factors are preventing people from acquiring computers and getting Internet access. We also want to continue building awareness among people about the benefits of having a computer and Internet at home,” he said.

Most studies only estimate the statistical figure on PC and Internet penetration in the Philippines. The National Telecommunications Commission latest estimate is only in 2005 and showed that the Philippines only had 1.44 million subscribers.

But the International Telecommunications Union estimated that there were already 4.4 million in 2004.

The Internet World Stats website showed that as of March 2009, there are 20.6 million Internet users in the Philippines with a penetration rate of 21.5 percent of the population. –Alexander Villafania, INQUIRER.net