Cayetano-sponsored bill for nationwide internet access gets Senate nod

PHILIPPINES, February 6 - Press Release
February 6, 2025

Cayetano-sponsored bill for nationwide internet access gets Senate nod

The Senate on Wednesday approved the Konektadong Pinoy Bill on Third and Final Reading, a measure authored and sponsored by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano that aims to ensure reliable, affordable, and accessible internet connection nationwide.

The bill garnered broad support, with 17 senators voting in favor and none voting against or abstaining during the plenary session on February 5, 2025.

Senators Grace Poe, Joel Villanueva, and Majority Leader Francis Tolentino thanked Cayetano for his leadership in shepherding the passage of this landmark measure.

The previous day, Cayetano, who chairs the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, reminded the chamber of the importance of aligning the Konektadong Pinoy Bill (Senate Bill No. 2699) with various Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laws to ensure faster and more accessible internet in the country.

"We won't take the Konektadong Pinoy Bill in isolation because there's the [need to also implement the] E-Governance Act, Creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), other ICT bills, and the masterplan for the country's digital highway," Cayetano said during the bill's period of amendments.

"Kasi kahit anong gaganda ng plano mo for ICT, kung di ka rin connected, wala ring mangyayari," he explained, adding that these will be reinforced in the Act's Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

Cayetano was responding to the proposed amendments by Tolentino and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri to include a provision requiring the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to ensure that Data Transmission Industry Participants (DTIPs) provide continuous and uninterrupted service to agencies and institutions in times of national emergencies, disasters or calamities.

The senator welcomed the amendment, highlighting the importance of ensuring internet coverage across every area and island in the country.

Jointly submitted by the Senate Committees on Science and Technology, Public Services, and Finance on May 22, 2024, the Konektadong Pinoy Bill primarily aims to make it easier for service providers to enter the market, fostering competition, and offering consumers a greater number and more affordable options for internet services.

The bill also seeks to ensure that incoming service providers have access to telecommunications infrastructure while setting standards to protect consumers. It upholds users' rights as well by ensuring quality service, requiring providers to meet minimum service standards.

Other proposed amendments to the Konektadong Pinoy Act that Cayetano welcomed were provisions to prioritize the installation of infrastructure in areas near educational institutions and offer students in public and private schools appropriate discounts as part of the DTIPs' corporate social responsibility.

"We honor these concepts to provide connectivity to those who need it the most. If all of these different laws work, we hope to have free WiFi in the schools to help the students," he said.

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Panukalang isinulong ni Cayetano para sa pambansang internet access, aprubado na sa Senado

Inaprubahan ng Senado sa pangatlo at panghuling pagdinig ang Konektadong Pinoy Bill, isang panukalang batas na inakda at isinulong ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano upang matiyak ang pagkakaroon ng maaasahan, abot-kaya, at murang internet connection sa buong bansa.

Nakatanggap ng malawak na suporta ang panukalang batas: 17 na senador ang bumoto pabor, walang tumutol, at walang nag-abstain sa plenary session nitong February 5, 2025.

Pinasalamatan nina Senador Grace Poe, Joel Villanueva, at Majority Leader Francis Tolentino si Cayetano, na chairperson ng Senate Committee on Science and Technology, sa kanyang pamumuno sa pagpasa ng makabuluhang panukalang batas.

Noong nakaraang araw, pinaalalahanan ni Cayetano ang Senado sa kahalagahan ng paghahanay ng Konektadong Pinoy Bill (Senate Bill No. 2699) sa iba't ibang batas na may kaugnayan sa Information and Communication Technology (ICT) upang matiyak ang mas mabilis at abot-kayang internet sa bansa.

"We won't take the Konektadong Pinoy Bill in isolation because there's the [need to also implement the] E-Governance Act, Creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), other ICT bills, and the masterplan for the country's digital highway," sabi ni Cayetano habang dinidinig ang panukala sa period of amendments.

"Kasi kahit anong gaganda ng plano mo for ICT, kung di ka rin connected, wala ring mangyayari," paliwanag niya, habang binigyang diin na pagtitibaying ito sa Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) ng panukalang batas.

Tugon ito ni Cayetano sa mga iminungkahing amyenda nina Tolentino at Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri na isama ang isang probisyon na nag-aatas sa National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) na tiyakin na ang Data Transmission Industry Participants (DTIPs) ay makapagbibigay ng walang patid na serbisyo sa mga ahensya at institusyon sa panahon ng kalamidad.

Malugod na tinanggap ng senador ang mga amyenda at binigyang diin ang kahalagahan ng pagtiyak ng internet coverage sa bawat lugar at isla sa bansa.

Sabay na inihain ng Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Public Services, at Finance noong May 22, 2024 ang Konektadong Pinoy Bill na may pangunahing layunin na gawing mas madali para sa mga service provider na makapasok sa merkado, magsulong ng kompetisyon, at mag-alok sa mga mamimili ng mas marami at mas abot-kayang serbisyo sa internet.

Layunin din ng panukalang batas na ang mga papasok na service provider ay makagagamit ng mga imprastraktura ng telekomunikasyon at nagtatakda ito ng mga pamantayan upang protektahan ang mga gagamit ng serbisyo.

Itinataguyod naman ang mga karapatan ng mga konsyumer sa pamamagitan ng pagtiyak ng kalidad ng serbisyo, at kinakailangan na rin na matugunan ng mga service provider ang maayos na pamantayan ng serbisyo.

Ang iba pang iminungkahing pag-amyenda sa Konektadong Pinoy Act na tinanggap ni Cayetano ay mga probisyon na unahin ang pag-install ng imprastraktura sa mga lugar na malapit sa mga eskwelahan, at pag-alok sa mga mag-aaral sa mga pampubliko at pribadong paaralan ng naaangkop na mga diskwento bilang bahagi ng corporate social responsibility ng mga DTIP.

"We honor these concepts to provide connectivity to those who need it the most. If all of these different laws work, we hope to have free WiFi in the schools to help the students," wika ni Cayetano.