Group: Connectivity bill will slash internet costs

The Philippine Cable and Telecommunication Association (PCTA) on Wednesday aired its support for the passage of Konektadong Pinoy Bill, which, according to them, is expected to generate new employment opportunities and significantly reduce internet prices in the country.

In a television interview, Joel Luis Dabao, the former president of the PCTA, stated that the Marcos administration’s target of reducing internet costs in the country by as much as 50 percent could become a reality through this measure.

“There are only a handful of players in that space. And if we have more, we can expect that cost to go down significantly,” Dabao said, adding that once enacted into law, it will spur digital investments in rural areas and help connect far-flung communities across the country.

The Senate and the House of Representatives have ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the Konektadong Pinoy Act, and the measure is now awaiting the President’s approval.

Dabao further stressed that by opening up the industry to more players, more jobs will be created, particularly in remote areas where digital transformation can help drive economic growth and improve quality of life.

Spreading AI use

“We need it for everything. We aim to provide all our government services online. We want our health to go online. We want education to go online. We want people to start using AI. For all of these things, you need the internet,” Dabao said.

Konektadong Pinoy is deemed to end the outdated Congressional franchise requirement for data transmission providers, and will break the decades-long duopoly and open the door to more affordable, faster, and reliable internet, especially for far-flung and underserved communities.

For his part, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda recently welcomed the measure, stating that it would help create a more inclusive and affordable digital ecosystem while accelerating the rollout of next-generation technologies, such as 5G.