Andrea E. San Juan | July 22, 2024
At least 23 groups, including the Joint Foreign Chambers, industry associations and civil society organizations are urging President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to prioritize and certify as urgent the passage of the proposed Open Access in Data Transmission Act, stressing the need to advance the nation’s broadband infrastructure so all Filipinos can benefit from digitalization.
Ahead of the 2024 State of the Nation Address, the organizations asked Marcos Jr. to certify as urgent the proposed “Konektadong Pinoy Act,” also known as the “Open Access in Data Transmission Act,” recently filed as Senate Bill No. 2699 under Committee Report No. 262.
“We, the undersigned organizations, including Philippine Business Groups, Joint Foreign Chambers, industry associations, and civil society organizations, urge His Excellency, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., to prioritize and certify as urgent the passage of the proposed Open Access in Data Transmission Act, also known as the Konektadong Pinoy Act (Senate Bill No. 2699, under Committee Report No. 262).
The signatories to the joint statement include Philippine Business Groups: Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport), and Employers Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop);
The signatories also include Joint Foreign Chambers: American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (Amcham), Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (Cancham), European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines (JCCIPI), Korean Chamber of Commerce Philippines (KCCP), and Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Inc. (Pamuri); industry associations: Analytics & Artificial Intelligence Association of the Philippines (AAP), Alliance of Tech Innovators for the Nation (Atin), Fintech Alliance.PH, National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association, Inc (PCTA);
Civil society associations also joined the call to certify the bill as urgent. These are the Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA), Association for Progressive Communications (APC), Better Internet PH (BIP), Democracy.net.ph, Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA), Global Digital Inclusion Partnership (GDIP), Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), Internet Society (ISOC), and Internet Society-Philippines Chapter (ISOC-PH).
In a joint statement, these groups cited the features of the bill that they deem important as they recognize the critical need to advance the nation’s broadband infrastructure.
Among these is the bill’s goal to promote ease of doing business by simplifying the registration and qualification process for Internet network and service providers.
They said the bill will make it “faster and more efficient” for providers to build networks by promoting infrastructure sharing and streamlining the permits approval process.
The 23 organizations also said this measure will provide “wider access” to radio spectrum for wireless internet by making this resource available to more providers, especially in the rural areas.
“The bill will also update the analog-era policies that have long stifled Internet connectivity in the country,” the statement of the groups noted.
Citing a study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) in 2023, the business groups noted that the Open Access bill will enable the “entry of more firms in the provision of internet services…as well as facilitate network buildout,” and thus “boost digital connectivity, particularly in communities that are currently underserved or unserved.”
Similarly, the groups said a 2022 PIDS paper pointed out that the bill will “reduce the barriers to entry and help facilitate the growth of broadband.”
Moreover, an earlier PIDS policy note recommended fast-tracking Open Access to “help address the digital infrastructure gap” by “simplifying market entry and promoting infrastructure sharing.”
“We, the signatories, believe that the proposed Open Access in Data Transmission Act is the key to unlocking the potential of a more digitally inclusive, economically vibrant, and prosperous country. We therefore urge the President to champion the bill that will transform the Philippines into a truly #BayangDigital,” the 23 groups stressed.
At the PCCI’s 2nd General Membership meeting last week, Senate President Francis Escudero had said, “We expect passage of Open Access before we adjourn on September 28 for the midterm recess.”
Escudero said the Senate expects the passage of CREATE More earlier than the Open Access bill as CREATE More “is a priority of the President.”
Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/07/22/23-biz-groups-push-konektadong-pinoy-bill/