Mobile Internet Connectivity and Household Wealth in the Philippines
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Publication Type:
Publisher:
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Publication:
November 2025
This analysis of data from the Philippines finds that mobile internet connectivity leads to higher household wealth.
The Philippines saw a rapid rollout of mobile internet access in the 2010s. Between 2010 and 2022 the share of the population using the internet went from 25% to 75%, and the number of mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 people went from 88 to 144.1.
This paper examines how the availability and quality of mobile internet access affects household wealth in the country.
The results suggest that mobile internet connectivity significantly increases household wealth, with effects that persist across education levels and are more pronounced in urban than in rural areas. Improved connectivity stimulates activities in key economic sectors that create employment opportunities. It also enhances educational outcomes and promotes female labor force participation.
Contents
- Introduction and Motivation
- Related Works
- Data and Methodology
- Analysis and Results
- Conclusion
