The House of Representatives on Tuesday, Sept. 22, unanimously approved on third and final reading House Bill 9851 or the proposed “Zero Spectrum User Fee for Telco Using Wi-Fi Act.”
Receiving 177 affirmative votes, the bill seeks to address the “unjust” policy and regulation that levies Spectrum User Fee (SUF) on telcos for the use of Wi-Fi frequencies, and in so doing, would lower the cost of telecom services.
The proposed measure would adopt a license-free and zero-SUF policy, as well as help in the acceleration of Internet connectivity and the development of Wi-Fi infrastructure in the country.
Likewise, with 179 affirmative votes, the House unanimously passed on third and final reading HB 10098, establishing information and communications technology (ICT) hubs in all provinces to provide efficient inter-connectivity, especially in the unserved and underserved areas in the country.
Additionally, HB 7425, which imposes value-added tax on digital transactions, also hurdled third and final reading. The proposed legislation garnered 167 affirmative votes, 6 negative votes, and one abstention.
