Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Marcos Jr. asked to certify ‘Konektadong Pinoy’ bill as urgent

Ahead of the 2024 State of the Nation Address, 23 organizations called on Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to certify as urgent the proposed “Konektadong Pinoy Act,” also known as the “Open Access in Data Transmission Act,” recently filed as Senate Bill No. 2699 under Committee Report No. 262.

The Konektadong Pinoy bill aims to increase private sector and community investment in broadband infrastructure. It is envisioned to:

  • Promote ease of doing business by simplifying the licensing process for Internet network and service providers;
  • Make it faster and more efficient for providers to build networks by promoting infrastructure sharing and streamlining the permits approval process; and
  • Provide wider access to radio spectrum for wireless Internet by making this resource available to more providers, especially in the rural areas.

The bill will also update the analog-era policies that have long stifled Internet connectivity in the country, which include the Public Telecommunications Policy Act (turning 30 years) and the Radio Control Law, as amended (turning 75 years).

The signatories to the joint statement include:

Philippine Business Groups

  • Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI),
  • Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT), and Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP);

Joint Foreign Chambers

  • American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AMCHAM),
  • Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (CANCHAM),
  • European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP),
  • Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines (JCCIPI),
  • Korean Chamber of Commerce Philippines (KCCP), and
  • Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Inc. (PAMURI);

Industry Associations

  • Analytics & Artificial Intelligence Association of the Philippines (AAP),
  • Alliance of Tech Innovators for the Nation (ATIN),
  • Fintech Alliance.PH,
  • National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP),
  • Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association, Inc (PCTA);

Civil Society Associations:

  • Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA),
  • Association for Progressive Communications (APC),
  • Better Internet PH (BIP),
  • Democracy.net.ph,
  • Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA),
  • Global Digital Inclusion Partnership (GDIP),
  • Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA),
  • Internet Society (ISOC), and
  • Internet Society – Philippines Chapter (ISOC-PH).

The Open Access in Data Transmission bill was approved by the Lower House in December 2022, with House speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez as one of the principal authors.

In the Senate, the bill is referred to the Committee on Science and Technology under the chairmanship of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Last month, Cayetano was one of the members from the Legislative branch at the 5th Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), where the Open Access bill was included as a priority measure.

“We can no longer afford to be in the dark ages when it comes to the internet and its accessibility to each and every Filipino,” Cayetano was quoted in a Senate press release.

The Open Access bill “seeks to enhance the Philippines’ digital infrastructure by expanding access to data services. This legislation aims to boost connectivity, spur innovation, attract investments, and create jobs across multiple sectors,” the press release added.

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