Lorenz S. Marasigan, March 3, 2025
The National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP) said on Monday its members are gearing up to expand digital connectivity in the countryside as the landmark Konektadong Pinoy Act moves closer to becoming law.
The Senate recently approved on Third Reading Senate Bill No. 2699, the Comprehensive and Inclusive Data Transmission and Connectivity Framework for the Philippines Act.
“NICP lauds President Marcos Jr. for certifying Konektadong Pinoy as urgent. We share his commitment to Philippine digitalization, and are ready to invest in countryside ICT infrastructure as soon as this landmark measure is enacted,” said NICP President Jessraf Palmares.
The bill, which aims to encourage competition and expand internet access, particularly in rural areas, gained momentum after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. certified it as urgent in January.
Palmares, who also serves as the president of the Iloilo Federation for Information Technology, added that the group is “optimistic” the bill will soon be passed into law.
Konektadong Pinoy seeks to address long-standing regulatory barriers that have stifled competition and discouraged new players from establishing data transmission networks.
The Philippines has consistently ranked low in global ICT indices, such as the Digital Competitiveness Index and Network Readiness Index, while Filipino consumers continue to grapple with one of the most expensive internet services in the world.
According to Palmares, the bill will encourage investments in much-needed digital infrastructure across various regions, ensuring that capable providers—both large and small—can deploy technology solutions tailored to local needs.
This, he noted, is critical in narrowing the digital divide between urban and rural communities.
“We are optimistic that Konektadong Pinoy will reach enactment given President Marcos’ backing, and urge Congress, led by Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senate President Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero to approve the bill immediately,” he said.
Prior to its certification, Konektadong Pinoy was already included in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) priority bills, with Escudero committing to pass it within the 19th Congress.
Beyond connectivity, NICP sees the bill as a “viable long-term solution to getting more investments in much-needed ICT infrastructure, especially in the countryside.”
The proposed law is expected to spur investments in telecommunications infrastructure such as towers and dark fiber networks, foster a more conducive environment for data centers and cloud services, and facilitate the adoption of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI).
NICP, which consists of 124 ICT Councils spanning Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, has long been advocating for countryside digitalization. Since its founding in 2008, the organization has played a key role in promoting ICT development outside Metro Manila to enable digital transformation for all Filipinos.