Andrea E. San Juan
July 1, 2025
The Konektadong Pinoy Bill will help build a more “competitive” and “consumer-centric” digital economy, according to the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC).
In a statement on Tuesday, the country’s competition watchdog said it believes that incorporating competition principles into the country’s digital connectivity framework is “essential” to improving telecommunications services.
PCC Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo underscored that the bill’s provisions, such as streamlining the approval process for telecommunications providers, promoting open access, and reducing market entry barriers, are aligned with the PCC’s mandate to “foster fair and open markets.”
“By institutionalizing competition in the digital infrastructure sector, the bill can help lower costs, improve service quality, and expand access, especially in underserved areas,” Aguinaldo said.
The PCC chief also noted that the bill “reinforces” the state’s commitment to data inclusivity and consumer welfare by encouraging a “more dynamic and responsive” telecommunications market.
The PCC said it previously co-hosted the Konektadong Pinoy: A Pro-Filipino, Pro-Consumer, Pro-Competition Digital Connectivity Law policy forum on March 28 at the University of the Philippines Law Center.
The event, held in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the National Economic and Development Authority (now the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development), brought together stakeholders from government, industry, and academe to discuss the bill’s potential impact on the telecommunications sector.
In a joint statement, 35 signatories representing business groups, foreign chambers, tech alliances, public sector organizations, and civil society said the passage of the Konektadong Pinoy Bill “will democratize internet access, which could potentially be this administration’s greatest legacy.”
The bill, also known as the Open Access in Data Transmission Act, aims to break down long-standing barriers in the telecom sector by simplifying permits, promoting infrastructure sharing, and eliminating the franchise requirement for internet service providers.
According to the organizations, the proposed piece of legislation is “pro-Filipino, pro-consumer, and pro-competition,” and could address the “lack” of internet access in 19,000 barangays, which represent 45.5 percent of all barangays nationwide.
Among the 35 signatories are the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, PHILEXPORT, Fintech Alliance.PH, and the Analytics & AI Association of the Philippines, as well as foreign business groups such as the American, Canadian, European, Japanese, and Korean Chambers of Commerce. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/06/25/35-groups-to-pbbm-sign-konektado-bill/)