PLDT Inc. has raised serious concerns over the proposed Konektadong Pinoy Act, warning that certain provisions could distort fair competition and pose risks to national interests.

Speaking during PLDT’s annual stockholders’ meeting, Marilyn Aquino, senior legal advisor to the chairman, pointed to what she called "dangerous asymmetries" in the bill that may allow new—and especially foreign—entrants to access existing telecommunications infrastructure without equivalent obligations.

“For example, the telcos like us remain obligated to build infrastructure to support and to improve the service to our subscribers. There is no such obligation imposed on new entrants that are involved in data transmission,” Aquino said.

“They can come in, and the law opens all our assets to them for open access. So where is the symmetry there? What will it take for us to continue building, to follow our obligation under our franchise, to build infrastructure, if the infrastructure that we will build will just be open to these foreign players immediately? So that’s what we want to avoid,” she added.

Aquino also warned against what she described as "ruinous competition" and criticized the bill for allowing satellite operators to use Philippine spectrum and operate within the country’s territory without being subject to the same regulatory standards as local telcos.

PLDT chairman, president, and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan clarified that the company is not opposing market competition but is calling for fairness.

“We are not anti-competition. We are also not asking for special favors or special protection from any external competitor. We are simply asking for a level playing field,” Pangilinan said.

The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO) had earlier echoed similar concerns. While acknowledging the bill’s intent to widen internet access, the group warned that it lacks key safeguards and could open the door to national security and consumer risks.

The PCTO criticized the bill for allowing foreign-controlled entities to operate critical infrastructure without a legislative franchise or thorough vetting. It also pointed out the absence of cybersecurity, data privacy, and service obligations for new players, particularly in underserved areas, and urged lawmakers to retain the franchise requirement and strengthen regulatory oversight.