Senator Alan Peter Cayetano led efforts to enhance the Philippines’ digital infrastructure and close the gap with neighboring Southeast Asian countries as he pushed for the swift passage of Senate Bill 2699, more known as the “Konektadong Pinoy Act”.
“Unless we pay attention to this, we will not catch up with our neighbors,” Cayetano emphasized in his Senate sponsorship speech.
“Once magawa natin ito, we will really see the difference of having reliable and affordable connection in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao,” the veteran legislator added.
As chair of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, the seasoned lawmaker reiterated the challenges the Philippines faces in keeping up with its neighbors.
“The Philippines has the most expensive internet in Southeast Asia, yet it still lags behind in speed and reliability.”
A 2024 World Bank report revealed that the Philippines has the most expensive internet in Southeast Asia, yet it still lags behind in speed and reliability compared to countries like Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei.
According to the seasoned lawmaker, this digital gap has hampered productivity across various sectors, affecting not only businesses but all Filipinos, especially students and teachers, who rely on the internet for education, work, and daily activities.
“Kung hindi ka magkakaroon nito, don’t expect ‘yung productivity mo tataas rin,” the senator said.
He further expressed his belief that the country’s push for e-governance, which is crucial for streamlining government services and reducing corruption, will not be effective if internet connectivity remains poor and expensive.
The “Konektadong Pinoy Act” aims to update outdated telecommunications rules that have made it difficult to improve internet connectivity in the Philippines.
The “Konektadong Pinoy Act” aims to update outdated telecommunications rules that have made it difficult to improve internet connectivity in the Philippines. It also focuses on making the internet more affordable, faster, and easier to access.
By removing the need for a legislative franchise, the bill simplifies the approval process for telecom companies, making it easier for new players to enter the market and drive competition. This, in turn, is expected to lower costs and improve the quality of services available to consumers.
The bill also addresses the efficient management of the radio spectrum, which is essential for expanding coverage and enhancing service quality, particularly in areas that are currently underserved.
Additionally, it promotes infrastructure sharing among telecom companies, which helps reduce operational costs and makes it easier to extend services to regions with limited or no connectivity.
Cayetano noted that these steps are needed for closing the digital divide and helping the country compete better in the region.
With this measure, he aims to ensure that the Philippines does not fall further behind in the digital age and can fully harness digitalization to boost economic productivity and inclusivity.
“Sa lahat ng nag-contribute sa bill na ito, sa lahat ng authors, all the NGOs, all the advocacy groups, I look forward to discussing this bill. Hopefully itong August matapos natin,” Cayetano concluded.
