The Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association (PCTA) is calling for the swift passage of the Konektadong Pinoy Bill also known as the Open Access in Data Transmission Act saying this measure will accelerate infrastructure rollout, bring more Filipinos online and bridge the digital divide.
The bill, awaiting Senate plenary deliberations, was sponsored by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on August 5.
Konektadong Pinoy will “allow us, small players, to further invest in infrastructure, especially in underserved areas where various hurdles hinder our efforts,” PCTA said in its social media page. “Removing these barriers will allow us to accelerate our rollouts and bring more of our countrymen online.”
The group cited a study published in 2023 by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies which said access and internet speed fall sharply in rural regions, leaving many communities disconnected from the online world’s opportunities.
PCTA said Konektadong Pinoy helps bring connectivity nationwide by making it faster and more efficient for internet service providers (ISPs) to deploy digital infrastructure, allowing wider access to radio spectrum needed for wireless Internet, and promoting infrastructure sharing to lower the cost of rolling out networks.
The Konektadong Pinoy bill is co-sponsored by senators Win Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva, Loren Legarda, and Pia Cayetano. The measure is among the 28 priority bills in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council’s Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) targeted to be passed in the 19th Congress.
The PCTA is the umbrella organization of nationwide cable television operators and ISPs in the Philippines. It has over 300 regular members serving 75 percent of the total cable TV subscribers in the Philippines.
