Calabarzon: More households and individuals in Calabarzon are gaining access to digital technologies, reflecting the region's growing shift toward online connectivity and electronic transactions, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

According to Philippines News Agency, Charity Bautista, officer in charge of the Statistical Operations and Coordination Division, PSA 4-A, revealed during the 2024 National Information and Communications Technology Household Survey (NICTHS) forum that 95.8 percent of mobile phone users in the region owned smartphones. This figure surpasses the national average of 93 percent and marks an increase from 81.5 percent in 2019. Meanwhile, the use of basic cellular phones dropped significantly to 4.7 percent from 20.9 percent.

Internet use in the region has also seen a significant rise, with 53.2 percent of households reporting home connections in 2024, up from 24.2 percent in 2019. Individual internet users soared to 71.4 percent, more than doubling the 33.1 percent recorded in 2019. The trend extends to financial transactions, as electronic or mobile money account holders grew sharply from 5.1 percent in 2019 to 43.6 percent in 2024. Online buying and selling accounts also increased from 7.9 percent to 38.3 percent.

PSA 4-A Statistical Specialist II Jan Irvin Mark A. Sison noted during the forum that about one in every five internet users sold goods or services to earn money. He also added that more than half of internet users considered their mobile devices as the most effective source of information on disaster preparedness.