Three of the country’s national business organizations have joined hands to call urgency on the Senate’s action and enactment of the proposed Open Access in Data Transmission/Internet Services Act.

 

The PCCI, Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) cited the legislation’s importance to facilitate the expansion of Internet connectivity, especially in the countryside, and improve access to digital services by the government, businesses, and citizens.  An Open Access law, they emphasized, is critical to supporting the Marcos administration’s goal of promoting universal, seamless, and secure connectivity for Filipinos.

 

The bill, among others ---

1. introduces a simpler and more efficient licensing process for industry participants in all segments of the broadband network, allowing more Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to build and operate their own networks, especially in the unserved and underserved areas;

2. Promotes the sharing of passive infrastructure, such as towers, poles, ducts, and dark fiber, among industry players and other infrastructure owners, to fasttrack and reduce the cost of network rollout; and,

3. Provides a policy and regulatory framework specifically for digital connectivity that will address the legal obstacles put in place by outdated analog-era laws, which have stifled the growth of Philippine Internet.

 

The House of Representatives approved its counterpart measure last December 12, 2022. --- Rhuby Conel