Globe flags risks in Konektadong Pinoy Act

Globe Telecom raised serious concerns over the Konektadong Pinoy Act, which lapsed into law on 24 August, warning that the measure in its current form could weaken cybersecurity, undermine national safeguards, and destabilize the telecommunications industry.

“By not signing it, Malacañang is taking a neutral stance on the Konektadong Pinoy Act. We shall work with the government on how we can improve industry standards to safeguard the public,” Globe General Counsel Froilan M. Castelo said in a statement.

The company stressed that while the measure aspires to broaden digital access, it also opens vulnerabilities. It cited gaps in vetting new entrants to the telecom sector, raising the risk of inadequately screened operators gaining access to critical infrastructure.

Equally concerning, Globe said, is the law’s two-year grace period for cybersecurity certification, which creates “a prolonged window for exploitation.”

Castelo noted this contradicts the intent of existing laws such as the Cybercrime Prevention Act, the Data Privacy Act, the Anti-Terrorism Act, and the Anti-OSAEC/CSAEM Law, all of which mandate immediate safeguards for citizens and state systems.

The telco also flagged the law’s allowance for unregulated spectrum use by satellite operators, warning it could place the Philippines in breach of treaty obligations and cause harmful interference with frequencies used by defense and disaster-response agencies—precisely when reliable communication is needed most.

By removing the longstanding requirement for a congressional franchise, Globe argued, the law discards a key safeguard of oversight.

“The absence of such checks undermines regulatory integrity and may unsettle the investment climate,” the company said, stressing that existing operators that have complied with strict requirements should not face unfair competition from newcomers exempted from them.

“Connectivity is indeed a national imperative. To achieve it responsibly, the law must be fortified and not left to create vulnerabilities,” Globe said. “With timely corrective action, the Konektadong Pinoy Act can still become a framework that expands access while preserving security, stability, and public trust.”

Despite Globe’s warning, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda welcomed the law, saying it secures internet access as a vital tool for disaster risk management.

Aguda explained that under the measure’s “user’s rights” provision, telecom services must remain accessible during calamities such as floods, earthquakes, and fires — even in the event of power outages.

“Because Konektadong Pinoy considers internet access as a form of disaster risk management,” he said in Filipino.

He also assured that the DICT and the National Telecommunications Commission will guard against unreliable operators.

“We will ensure there are no fly-by-night companies. Telcos that enter must be reliable and provide good service,” he said, noting that finalizing the law’s implementing rules and regulations is now their top priority.

Previously, only companies with a congressional franchise could roll out nationwide telecom infrastructure. “That takes too long. Competition in the telecommunications sector would not really improve in the next three years,” Aguda said.

He emphasized that Konektadong Pinoy will remain affordable, adding that while mobile service improvements may not be felt immediately, prices are expected to drop as competition intensifies and more cell towers are built.