Internet Access
Reliable internet for government offices, schools, health centers and communities across BARMM.
LIVE TOUR · EXTERIOR
07°13'N 124°15'E
A Plan of MP Nordjiana Lucman Dipatuan-Ducol, DPA
One Bangsamoro.One Network.
A regional data center that links every BARMM office into one safe network, and brings faster internet closer to every Bangsamoro family.
Konektado ang Bangsamoro.
Chapter 01 · The Hub
This is the Bangsamoro Digital Hub.
Think of it as the region's "digital capitol." Every glowing line is a link to a province, a ministry or a town office. All of them meet here.
Chapter 02 · Secure Entry
Only the right people get in.
ID checks, cameras and guards protect the building. Inside, the government's data stays in Bangsamoro hands.
Chapter 03 · Servers
Rows of servers. One safe home for public data.
Websites, e-mail, records and online services of the Bangsamoro Government run here, instead of on scattered computers in different offices.
Chapter 04 · Always On
Cooled. Powered. Backed up.
Cooling units, batteries, solar power and generators keep the hub running, even during brownouts.
Chapter 05 · The Core
Where every office meets.
Fiber lines from all rows join at the core. From here, the region connects to the national internet backbone and to the world.
Chapter 06 · Control Room
Watched 24 hours a day.
Bangsamoro technicians monitor every connected office, fix problems fast and stop cyber attacks.
See the full planScroll to walk inside
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
Nordjiana Lucman
Dipatuan-Ducol, DPA
Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament
The Plan
A proposed law to bring the internet to all of BARMM.
MP Dipatuan-Ducol's proposed bill has one big goal: internet access for the whole Bangsamoro. To get there, the region will build its own communication infrastructure, its own network lines, and its own data center.
Communication Infrastructure
Towers, links and equipment owned and managed for the Bangsamoro, so far-flung areas are not left behind.
Network Lines
Fiber lines on the mainland, plus undersea cable, radio and satellite links for the island provinces.
Data Centers
A main regional data center as the central hub, plus a backup site, so government systems never go down.
This website explains the plan in simple words. Final details, sites and costs will follow technical studies and the Parliament's legislative process.
Why we need it
Many Bangsamoro families and offices are still offline.
0%
of BARMM households have internet
0%
national average for the Philippines
0
shared home for all government systems: the goal of this plan
Household figures: Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). See sources.
Offices work alone
Many ministries and offices use separate systems. Sharing a file can mean printing it, signing it and carrying it by hand.
Islands are far
Basilan and Tawi-Tawi are separated by sea. Without strong links, people travel just to follow up a document.
Data is at risk
Records kept on old office computers can be lost to fire, floods, viruses or simple breakdowns.
Services are slow
Without a shared network, online services for permits, aid and requests are hard to offer region-wide.
How it works
Simple idea: everyone connects to one hub.
1. Offices
Ministries, provincial and municipal offices, schools and clinics.
2. The Hub
The regional data center stores, protects and routes everything.
3. The People
Citizens use online services and faster internet from home, school or the barangay hall.
The Network
Linking the mainland and the islands.
Tap a place on the map to see how it connects to the hub.
Fiber line (land)
Undersea cable / radio link
Satellite backup
SELECT A PLACE
Cotabato City · Main Hub
Home of the Bangsamoro Government Center. The proposed main data center sits here, close to the ministries it serves.
Schematic map, not to scale. Final routes and sites will be set by technical studies.
How it helps BARMM
Good for people. Good for government. Good for the future.
Fewer trips, less cost
Apply, follow up and receive some government services online, without long trips to Cotabato City.
Internet near you
Connected barangay halls, schools and health centers can share internet with the community.
Learning for students
Schools can use online lessons, research tools and digital libraries.
Clearer information
Programs, aid schedules and announcements reach people faster and more accurately.
All offices on one network
Ministries and provincial offices share files, e-mail and video meetings securely.
Records kept safe
Important records are stored in one protected place with backups, not on old desktop computers.
Saves public money
Offices share one set of servers and software instead of each buying its own.
More transparency
Budgets and project updates can be tracked in one system, helping good governance.
Local tech jobs
Technicians, engineers, security staff and support teams are needed to run the hub.
Room for business
Better connectivity attracts online work, BPO and small businesses selling online.
Skills for the youth
Training programs can grow a new generation of Bangsamoro IT professionals.
Ready for AI and e-services
A modern data center is the foundation for future digital tools for the region.
Faster warnings
Flood and weather alerts can reach town offices and barangays quickly.
Better coordination
Rescue teams and offices share real-time updates during emergencies.
Data survives disasters
With a backup site, records are safe even if one area is hit.
Satellite fallback
If land lines are cut, satellite links keep key offices online.
Example: Getting a document from a regional office
- Travel from your town to the office
- Fall in line and fill out paper forms
- Wait while papers are passed between offices
- Travel again to follow up or claim
Natural Resources
Will the data center use up our natural resources? No.
Around the world, people worry that data centers drain water and electricity, take up land and leave behind e-waste. Those worries are real for giant "hyperscale" AI centers. The Bangsamoro Digital Hub is different: it is small, built for government, and designed to protect our resources.
How big is it, really?
Electricity, in megawatts (MW), drawn to scale
Bangsamoro Digital Hub (planned, estimate)about 1–2 MW
One hyperscale data center8–125 MW
Mindanao's spare power on an average day (2026)about 900 MW
Hyperscale range: Department of Energy. Mindanao reserve: DOE Mindanao Field Office, Jan–Jul 2026 average. Hub size is a planning estimate for a regional government data center.
Water
The worry: Big data centers can use huge amounts of water for cooling. Worldwide they used about 222 billion liters in 2025.
Our answer: Use air-cooled, closed-loop cooling. The same coolant goes around and around, so almost no water is used up. We will not draw water from Lake Lanao or farm irrigation. Rainwater can serve washrooms and gardens.
Honest trade-off: saving water uses a bit more electricity, which our efficient design and solar help cover.
Electricity
The worry: Will it take power away from homes and cause more brownouts?
Our answer: A hub of this size would use only a tiny part of Mindanao's spare power. On average, Mindanao has had over 900 MW more supply than demand in 2026. Add rooftop solar, batteries and energy-saving equipment, and the hub takes very little from the grid.
Hydro plants on Lake Lanao give less power in El Niño dry spells, so the hub keeps its own batteries and backup power.
Land & Environment
The worry: Will forests, farms or wetlands be cleared?
Our answer: No. The building is about the size of a school gym, on land that is already developed, ideally inside a government compound. It will stay far from the Liguasan Marsh, watersheds and farmland, and will go through an environmental permit review.
The Liguasan Marsh is a key biodiversity area that supports thousands of fishing and farming families. It must be protected.
Heat & Energy Use
The worry: In hot places, cooling can use more than 40% of a data center's energy.
Our answer: Hot and cold aisles, modern equipment that runs safely at warmer temperatures, and smart sensors cut cooling energy. We will aim for an energy efficiency score (PUE) better than the global average.
Old Equipment (E-waste)
The worry: Old servers and batteries contain materials that can harm soil and water.
Our answer: Old equipment goes only to DENR-accredited recyclers, following the toxic and hazardous waste law (RA 6969). Data is wiped safely, and working computers can be donated to schools.
It can even save resources
Today, many offices run their own small servers and air-conditioners. One shared, efficient hub can replace many of them, using less power overall. Online services also mean fewer trips, saving fuel and money for families.
Try it: size the hub
Move the slider to see what different sizes would mean. Estimates for illustration only.
0.15%
of Mindanao's average spare power
≈ 0
liters of cooling water used per day with our closed-loop design
33,800 L
per day if we used water-evaporating cooling instead (what we avoid)
Assumptions: total building power = computer load × 1.4 (cooling and lighting); spare power ≈ 913 MW (DOE, 2026 average); evaporative cooling ≈ 1.41 liters per kWh of computer energy (industry-reported average).
And the natural hazards?
Floods, earthquakes and storms are also part of nature. Here is how the plan handles them.
Typhoons
Low riskThe fact: BARMM sits in the south, outside the main typhoon belt. It is rarely hit directly by the 20 or so storms that enter the country each year.
Our design: A strong, wind-rated building. This is an advantage compared with typhoon-prone regions up north.
Floods
ManageableThe fact: Low areas near the Liguasan Marsh and some river basins can flood during heavy rain, as seen during Severe Tropical Storm Paeng in 2022.
Our design: Build on high, flood-safe ground; raised floors; equipment placed well above flood level; drainage and flood walls; and a backup site in a different area.
Earthquakes
ManageableThe fact: Like the whole Philippines, Mindanao has active faults and the Cotabato Trench offshore.
Our design: Follow PHIVOLCS hazard maps when choosing sites, use earthquake-resistant construction, braced server racks, and keep sites safely away from the coast.
Islands & Distance
SolvableThe fact: Basilan and Tawi-Tawi are across the sea from the mainland.
Our design: Undersea cables and radio links where possible, plus modern satellite internet that already works in remote BARMM areas.
Power Outages
ManageableThe fact: Brownouts happen in parts of Mindanao.
Our design: Two power sources, large batteries (UPS), diesel generators, and solar panels, so the hub keeps running.
MAIN SITE
Cotabato City
Near the Bangsamoro Government Center and the ministries, on a flood-safe elevated lot.
BACKUP SITE
Lanao del Sur Highlands
Higher ground, cooler air and away from the coast: a safe copy of all data in a different hazard zone.
Proposed sites, for discussion. Final locations will follow hazard and engineering studies.
Roadmap
From plan to a connected Bangsamoro.
PHASE 1
Pass the law & study
File and pass the bill. Run site, hazard, cost and engineering studies. Consult offices and communities.
PHASE 2
Build the hub
Construct the main data center and connect offices inside the Bangsamoro Government Center.
PHASE 3
Link the provinces
Lay fiber lines and links to provincial capitols, city and municipal halls on the mainland.
PHASE 4
Reach the islands
Connect Basilan and Tawi-Tawi through sea and radio links, with satellite backup. Build the backup site.
PHASE 5
Services for all
Launch online public services and community internet in barangay halls, schools and clinics.
Building on good work
This plan strengthens what BARMM has already started.
BARMM-wide Connectivity Project
BICTO's program to install about 1,010 digital towers: 10 main nodes, about 250 sub-towers and 740 access points.
Bangsamoro Intranet
A private government network launched in 2024 for secure file sharing among ministries, offices and agencies.
OCM Data Center
A data center and central network for the Office of the Chief Minister inside the Bangsamoro Government Center.
Digital centers in towns
UNDP-supported digital centers and satellite internet already help remote towns and barangays.
The Bangsamoro Digital Hub plan ties these efforts together into one regional backbone, backed by law, so they last and keep growing.
Questions
Simple answers.
What is a data center?
It is a secure building full of powerful computers (servers) that store information and run websites and online services. It is like a library and post office for digital information, open 24/7.
Will this give free internet to everyone?
The plan's goal is internet access across BARMM. It starts with government offices and public places like barangay halls, schools and health centers, which can then share connectivity with communities. Exact services will be defined in the law and its rules.
Is our data safe?
Yes, that is a key goal. Data will be protected by strong security, kept inside the region, backed up to a second site, and handled under the Data Privacy Act.
Why not just use private internet providers?
Private providers are partners, not rivals. But government needs its own secure network and data home. Building our own backbone also helps reach areas that are not profitable for companies.
How much will it cost?
Costs will be set after the technical and feasibility studies in Phase 1, and approved through the Parliament's budget process.
Be part of it
Support a connected Bangsamoro.
Tap the button to show your support for a connected Bangsamoro.
— supporters so far
Sources
- PIDS — BARMM household internet connectivity vs national average
- MindaNews — BARMM-wide Internet Connectivity Project (1,010 digital towers)
- PIA — BICTO Intranet Project for BARMM ministries, offices and agencies
- Daily Tribune — OCM data center and centralized network
- UNDP — Satellite connectivity in South Upi, Maguindanao
- ABS-CBN — BARMM rarely hit by cyclones; flooding around Liguasan Marsh
- BICTO — Bangsamoro Government network and hosting services
- Edge Davao — DOE Mindanao power supply and reserves, 2026
- W.Media — DOE on hyperscale data center power needs (8–125 MW) and renewables
- Euronews — Global data center water use and closed-loop cooling
- Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) — air cooling vs evaporative cooling
- Singapore Government — Cooling energy in tropical data centres
- Inquirer — Lake Lanao hydropower and El Niño
- Key Biodiversity Areas — Liguasan Marsh
- Daily Tribune — DOE and BARMM energy security and renewables