September 11, 2024
The Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association (PCTA) believes the way to bridge the digital divide and empower all Filipinos with connectivity is via the swift passage of the Konektadong Pinoy bill (also known as the proposed Open Access in Data Transmission Act). 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,” according to a PCTA statement on its social media page. “Removing these barriers will allow us to accelerate our rollouts and bring more of our countrymen online.”
Internet access remains a challenge in many parts of the country. “Access and internet speed fall sharply in rural regions, leaving many communities disconnected from the online world’s opportunities,” according to a study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) published in 2023.
Konektadong Pinoy helps bring connectivity nationwide by making it faster and more efficient for Internet Service Providers 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 (LEDAC)’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 Internet Service Providers in the Philippines. Its membership roster includes small, medium, and large providers who bring information and communications technology to the farthest islands of the country. To date, the PCTA has over 300 regular members serving 75% of the total cable TV subscribers in the Philippines.