President Rdorigo Duterte. Simeon Celi, Jr., Malacanang Photo

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte approved on Monday proposals to set up a national broadband plan and a government portal, as the government moved to bring faster internet service to the public, a Cabinet official said.

The newly-formed Department of Information and Communications Technology presented the twin projects during a Cabinet meeting in Malacanang, said Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol.

No other details were immediately available.

Duterte had threatened to open up the country's telecommunications sector to more players unless local providers improve their services. The Philippines has among the slowest internet connections in the world, next only to war-torn Afghanistan.

Plans to set up a nationwide broadband infrastructure fell through under former President Gloria Arroyo's government due to allegations Manila's deal with China's ZTE Corp was overpriced.

The President has also promised to make government transactions faster and easier.

-- with report by Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News