Former DICT undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. refuted on Tuesday, June 1, the statement of the DICT claiming that Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology provides cheaper and faster Internet to remote areas of the country.
Despite the huge budget totaling almost half a billion pesos, former DICT undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. pointed out that the project is for 1,035 sites only and will run for just a period of five months.
Data privacy advocates raised a howl on Thursday, May 27, against the supposed Landbank account that “comes” with every registration of the PhilSys ID, also known as the nation ID.
While the Philippines has existing laws that are “friendly” to digital platforms, some restrictive policies and regulations still hinder their growth in the country, according to a tech lawyer.
The bill prohibits the use of e-cigarettes in all enclosed public places except for the Designated Vaping Areas (DVAs). Also, only 18 years old and above are allowed to buy and use the products.
Converge ICT founder and CEO Dennis Anthony Uy said the company is in close coordination with SpaceX but is also talking to a number of satellite broadband providers.
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) stressed the proposed fines are separate from the criminal penalties and fines provided under the Data Privacy Act (DPA) and its implementing rules and regulations.
DTI official Marie Sherylyn said “there is a need to get rid of bad regulations that could stifle competition and inhibit innovation” as the digital economy continues to flourish in the country.
The move comes after presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr.’s press briefing last May 3 where he relayed Malacanang’s position for Australian networking firm SpeedCast to relinquish its role as a sub-contractor for the 2018 Pipol Konek Project.
