[FMA] Groups urge PBBM to sign Konektadong Pinoy into Law

A coalition of stakeholders composed of Business and Industry Groups, Joint Foreign Chambers, Public Service Organizations, Tech Organizations, and Civil Society andConsumer Groups called on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. to immediately enact the proposed Konektadong Pinoy (Open Access in Data Transmission) Act, describing the measure as landmark legislation that “will democratize internet access, which could potentially be this Administration’s greatest legacy.”

In their joint statement, the 35 signatories also commended President Marcos for “his vision and resolute leadership in championing Konektadong Pinoy, with his certification of the bill as urgent.” The groups also lauded the Senate and the House of Representatives for ratifying the bicameral conference committee report for Konektadong Pinoy, saying this “crucial step brings us closer to the enactment of this pro-Filipino, pro-consumer, and pro-competition bill, and truly nationwide digital connectivity for all.”

The statement is the latest showing of widespread clamor for Konektadong Pinoy from citizens and stakeholders from various sectors, who see the bill as a solution for inaccessible, unreliable, and costly internet services in the Philippines. Latest data shows that 19,000 barangays (or 45.5% of all barangays nationwide) still lack internet access. The high price of internet connectivity in the country—among the most expensive in the region—has also prevented millions of Filipinos from going online.

The bill also enjoys wide support in the Executive Branch, with the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) all having expressed support for the bill.

The 35 signatories to the joint statement are:

Business and Industry Groups – Analytics & AI Association of the Philippines (AAP), Alliance of Tech Innovators for the Nation (ATIN), Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), Fintech Alliance.PH, Internet and Technology Association of the Philippines, Inc. (ITAP), Maharlika Internet Exchange (MaharlikaIX), National Confederation of the Philippines (NATCCO), and Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT).

Joint Foreign Chambers – American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. (AMCHAM), Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. (CANCHAM), European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Inc. (JCCIPI), and Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. (KCCP).

Public Service Organizations – Chief Information Officers Forum, Inc. (CIOF), CIO Forum Foundation, Inc. (CIOFF), National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), Philippine Councilors League (PCL), and Provincial Health Officers Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHOAP).

Tech Organizations – Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA), Cebu Python Users Group (PizzaPy), League of Goal Oriented Information and Communications TechnologyOfficers, Inc. (LOGICT), MozillaPH, Philippine Institute of Cyber Security Professionals (PICSPRO), Unconnected.org, University of the Philippines Computer Science Guild, User Experience Philippines (UXPH), and Wiki Society of the Philippines (WikiSocPH).

Civil Society and Consumer Groups – Association for Progressive Communications (APC), Better Internet PH (BIP), Democracy.net.PH, Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA), Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), Internet Society (ISOC), Internet Society – Philippines Chapter (ISOC-PH), and Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP).

Konektadong Pinoy aims to “accelerate the deployment of digital infrastructure by streamlining the licensing process, promoting infrastructure sharing, and allowing new and smaller players to deliver both wired and wireless connectivity without requiring a legislative franchise, an antiquated requirement not found anywhere else in the world,” the groups said in the statement. The DepDev has previously attributed the poor state of Philippine internet today to the lack of competition in the data transmission sector, resulting in “underinvestment in infrastructure” and “poor service delivery.”

The Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), the umbrella organization of all leagues of local government units (LGUs) and government officials in the country, released its own statement of support for Konektadong Pinoy earlier this month.

The 35 signatories to the joint statement emphasized their full and strong support for the Konektadong Pinoy bill, which has “undergone rigorous scrutiny, almost 10 years of deliberations, and various improvements through three Congresses.”

The statement also pointed out that Konektadong Pinoy “requires big and small, local and foreign network providers alike to comply with cybersecurity measures based on internationally recognized standards and as prescribed by the DICT . It mandates a cybersecurity performance audit and makes this a requirement for continuing operation and license renewal”—a first in Philippine law. Konektadong Pinoy also “disallows foreign government-controlled and state-owned enterprises from operating data transmission networks,” the groups pointed out, countering critics’ claims that the bill will lead to a ‘foreign takeover’ of the country.

The groups concluded the statement by emphasizing their readiness to contribute to the successful implementation of Konektadong Pinoy. They also call on all Filipinos to express their support for the bill.