TheDepartment of Information and Communications Technologyis preparing Western Visayas for a phased move from analog to digital television, with the regional switch-off targeted for 2028. The Philippine Information Agency reported that the transition will not happen across the region at once. Instead, communities will move when they are ready, with Iloilo potentially handled by area rather than through one province-wide or city-wide change. The approach places household readiness, signal availability and local conditions ahead of a single fixed switch-off date for every viewer.
DICT has completed bidding for aDigital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting surveycovering Western Visayas. Data gathering is expected to begin this year and continue into 2027, checking which households can receive digital signals and which communities need additional support. The survey is intended to guide information campaigns, technical assistance and coverage improvements. That means the government is still in the preparation and assessment phase; the report does not establish that equipment distribution, financial aid or a final transition timetable has already been completed.
Affordability is a central issue because around1.1 million Filipinos nationwidestill rely on analog television, many in low-income or disadvantaged sectors. DICT said it is coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of the Interior and Local Government on a joint memorandum circular for qualified households. Possible technical or financial support is still being coordinated, so viewers should wait for official eligibility rules rather than assume that assistance is already available or guaranteed.
The migration is also being framed as a public-safety upgrade. DICT said digital television can carry government advisories and warnings during typhoons, floods and other emergencies, while the broader migration plan includes theEmergency Warning Broadcast System. The department’s national digital-TV roadmap emphasizes expanded coverage, accessible receiving equipment and coordination with local governments. For Western Visayas, the immediate story is therefore about readiness work and phased implementation—not a sudden analog shutdown or a confirmed date for every household in the region.
