Telcos flag new telecom bill risks

The Philippine Association of Private Telecommunications Companies (PAPTELCO) has warned that if the proposed Konektadong Pinoy is ratified into law, the bill could threaten the country’s national security.

“This is not just a concern of the large telecommunications players that own the cable landing stations and international gateway facilities, but also small telecommunication companies like us. The country’s national security is everyone’s concern,” PAPTELCO president Atty. Normandy Baldovino Jr. said over the weekend.

The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators also raised similar concerns, citing that the removal of the Congressional franchise requirement for new telecommunications players, the weakening of the National Telecommunications Commission’s regulatory authority, the lack of vetting of new entrants, and the absence of mandatory cybersecurity requirements before operations.

Baldovino said these issues should be addressed directly in the bill and not left to the implementing rules and regulations.

POGO reference raised

“We can’t sacrifice the country’s national security. While the Konektadong Pinoy bill has good intentions, it may have adverse effects down the road, similar to when the government legalized Philippine Offshore Gaming Corporations. We have to correct the bill itself to ensure there is nothing lost when it comes to implementing rules and regulations,” he said.

Under the bill, foreign-controlled companies would be allowed to operate critical information infrastructure without undergoing financial, technical or legal vetting. 

New players would also be given a grace period of one to three years after starting operations to establish cybersecurity measures, despite the high incidence of hacking cases in the Philippines.

The Konektadong Pinoy bill, a priority measure of the current administration, aims to expand internet access by easing the entry of new players in the data transmission sector. 

It was passed by the Senate on third and final reading on 7 February 2025, and is scheduled for bicameral conference committee discussions when Congress resumes sessions in June.