OnThisDay: 32 Years of PH Internet, The Philippines Establishes Its First Internet Connection

Today in history, marks the 32nd anniversary of the moment the Philippines officially entered the digital age. At exactly 1:15 AM on March 29, 1994, the country established its first successful connection to the global internet, forever changing the nation’s technological landscape.

The 64 kbps Milestone

The historic connection was established at a PLDT network center located at the Ramon Cojuangco Building in Makati. Using a 64 kbps SprintLink serial connection, the link bridged the gap between the Philippines and the rest of the world for the very first time.

The technical feat was executed by engineer Benjie Tan, who successfully configured a Cisco 7000 router to communicate with a remote gateway in Stockton, California. This single “handshake” served as the foundation for the entire digital infrastructure the country relies on today.

32 Years of Connectivity

What began 32 years ago as a specialized academic and technical project has evolved into a nationwide digital revolution. As we celebrate Philippine Internet Day, we look back at March 29, 1994, as the definitive starting point of our journey toward becoming a hyper-connected nation.

Data via: PHNET Archives / ADMU / ABS-CBN News

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