Konektadong Pinoy rules set, hurdles cleared

Once hounded by industry pushback, the Konektadong Pinoy Act is now poised for full rollout, with its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) set for release by the end of October.

In an interview with reporters on Thursday, DICT Secretary Henry R. Aguda said the final round of comments will be submitted by 2 October, after which the rules will be published. 

“We are on track,” Aguda said, stressing that the IRR directly addresses concerns raised by incumbent operators.

The rules lay down tougher cybersecurity standards, mandate facility sharing to ensure fair play, and enforce the “use it or lose it” rule for spectrum.

“On security, there is already a requirement on the security standard that’s open for everyone, including increasing the security requirements in two years’ time. Even the new players would have to comply with higher cybersecurity requirements,” Aguda explained.

He added that the IRR ensures equal treatment across the sector. “They have to make sure to share facilities. There must be reasonable rates of rental or sharing fees. And we will not just take frequencies. There has to be due process in all of that,” he said.

On spectrum use, Aguda said the government will no longer tolerate inefficiencies. “That belongs to the government. If you’re not using it or underusing it, return it. But the good thing there is if you return it, you don’t have to pay for it anymore. That way, the use of the frequency can be maximized,” he said.

The IRR also requires new entrants to expand into unserved and underserved areas, reinforcing the government’s push for inclusive digital access.

At the same time, the law opens the market wider to foreign players under the amended Public Services Act.

Aguda confirmed that firms from the United States, India, Japan, and the Middle East have already expressed interest.

Last week, the Philippine Competition Commission and the National Telecommunications Commission signed a Memorandum of Agreement to strengthen oversight and ensure fair competition in the country’s data transmission industry.

The deal, in line with Section 18 of the Konektadong Pinoy Act, establishes interagency cooperation and information sharing to support effective enforcement and promote an inclusive, competitive telecom sector.