Project Objectives:
This initiative bridges the digital divide for indigent households in underserved communities, where families must choose between basic necessities and connectivity. In a country where 59% of the population belongs to the D and E social classes, partnerships with local LGUs have enabled the deployment of affordable, high-speed fiber internet and localized digital content through a device that turns TVs into Android-powered computers. This solution helps residents overcome the education divide and access markets to upgrade family incomes. LGUs further support the initiative by covering a one-time connection fee (approximately $200 for three years) for each household, ensuring minimal financial burden. Additionally, a local area network originally established to connect health centers, schools, gyms, and barangays with free WiFi has been extended to serve indigent households by repurposing excess daytime bandwidth during off-peak hours.

Results Achieved:
In Pulilan, the project has connected 9,000 households, benefiting over 50,000 residents. Every school now offers a 10mb connection per student, and 80% of indigent households are online, with plans for full coverage by 2026.

Impact Generated:
These outcomes have improved academic performance, increased household incomes, and boosted community resilience, empowering inclusive digital development and sustainable socio-economic growth.

http://www.nexlogic.ph

• Pulilan Bulacan, Philippines

Modular Technology:
The project employs in-house developed hardware and software, ensuring consistent performance and ease of deployment across diverse regions. Our specialized device functions as both a router and a set-top box, facilitating the delivery of high-speed internet and localized content.

LGU Partnerships:
Strategic partnerships with local government units are central to the model. LGUs not only fund and support the initiative by covering a one-time connection fee for each indigent household, thus minimizing the financial burden on marginalized families, but they also have a vested interest in digitizing their operations. This project leverages the LGUs’ need for robust digital infrastructure—originally established to connect schools, barangays, and public safety systems like CCTV—and maximizes its utility by extending connectivity to indigent households and sharing excess daytime bandwidth during off-peak hours. This dual use of infrastructure lowers costs for all stakeholders while enhancing operational efficiency.

Proven Track Record:
The success in Pulilan, where 9,000 households (benefiting over 50,000 residents) have been connected, demonstrates the model’s effectiveness. Moreover, the approach is being extended to several other LGUs, with plans to reach 150,000 households and connect 700,000 unconnected individuals. This replicable model can be implemented in any urban or rural municipality facing digital inclusion challenges, particularly in developing areas within the Philippines and in similar contexts globally.

This project is built on a robust, multi-faceted framework that ensures long-term viability both financially and operationally. By integrating connectivity infrastructure into the core LGU network—serving health centers, schools, gyms, barangays, and public safety systems—the project becomes indispensable to local government operations. LGUs support the initiative by covering a one-time connection fee (approximately $200 for three years) for each household, thereby bridging the digital divide while digitizing essential public services. In addition, households typically share their internet with neighbors, creating a multiplier effect; the embedded educational content and market access within the device ensure that critical digital services and information reach the most underserved communities at no extra cost.

The model generates recurring revenue through monthly subscription plans from paying residential subscribers and businesses that can afford the service, supplemented by advertising revenue from localized content. Live streams, which have reached nearly 100,000 viewers globally, further strengthen familial ties for those abroad while boosting local advertiser revenue. As more indigent households come online, the increased consumption of locally generated content enhances revenue opportunities to support ongoing maintenance and future upgrades. Sustainability is further reinforced by a fiber network covering all villages, enabling extremely low-cost internet for households and businesses, and providing a “big brother” incentive for paying subscribers.

Moreover, the project’s scalability allows for the annual addition of new households until full coverage is achieved. Dedicated local offices staffed by trained community members ensure continuous technical support, foster local ownership, and reinforce capacity-building, making this a self-sustaining, scalable solution for digital inclusion.

The project exemplifies WSIS values by directly addressing digital inclusion and universal access. It bridges the digital divide by connecting indigent households—those most marginalized and often forced to choose between essential needs and connectivity—thereby ensuring that all segments of the community have access to high-speed internet and localized digital content. This commitment to inclusivity aligns with WSIS’s vision of a connected society where everyone benefits from ICT advancements. By partnering with local LGUs, the project not only digitizes key public services (schools, barangays, and public safety systems) but also integrates these networks into the broader community fabric. This model empowers local governments to disseminate timely information, enhances transparency, and improves responsiveness during emergencies, fostering a culture of participatory governance. Moreover, the project promotes capacity building and local ownership by establishing dedicated local offices where community members are hired and trained to manage and maintain the network. This ensures sustainable, community-driven development and reinforces the WSIS principles of empowerment, collaboration, and sustainable economic growth. Through these combined efforts, the project contributes to a more equitable, resilient, and digitally inclusive society.