Connectivity is the foundation of any meaningful and inclusive digital transformation, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country’s largest business organization, said as it prepares to hold on 20 to 21 October the 51st Philippine Business Conference (PBC&E) with the theme, “The Future is Now: Unleash the Power of Digital Transformation.”

Even as the Philippines has made strides in digital transformation with rapid growth in digital payments, e-commerce platforms, and online public services, the country remains behind its Southeast Asian neighbors in critical dimensions of digital adoption, including infrastructure, business digitization, e-government maturity, and tech talent development, PCCI observes.

As the ASEAN region accelerates toward a digital economy, the PCCI urged the Philippines to take decisive action in closing the digital gap or risk being left further behind. And, for the digital leap to happen, the Chamber is calling for a robust and inclusive digital infrastructure to be set up in the country.

Prioritize broadband access

“Broadband access, especially in rural and underserved areas, must be prioritized. If we are to achieve inclusive and sustained growth, local governments, schools and enterprises operating in rural areas must have the same level of access and reliability as their urban counterparts,” PCCI president Consul Enunina Mangio said.

“And to be competitive, cost and speed must be equivalent,” or even better than those of our neighbors in ASEAN who are already years ahead of us in MSME digitization, e-commerce adoption, and digital government services,” she stressed.

The PCCI cited recent legislative and policy reforms and initiatives such as the amendments to the Public Service Act, SIM Card Registration Law, the Digital Transformation Roadmap, and the National Fiber Backbone as steps in the right direction. But more must be done.

Connectivity a critical infrastructure

“Connectivity must be treated as critical infrastructure, at par with roads, energy, and ports,” Dennis Anthony H. Uy, PCCI’s director for ICT, stressed, adding, “There should be more strategic investment in both fixed and mobile broadband networks, especially in underserved regions to enable more Filipinos and businesses to participate in the digital economy.”

For investments to come in, PCCI called on the country’s policymakers to expand last-mile connectivity in remote areas by directing investment towards underserved areas and critical backbone infrastructure, leveraging public-private partnerships (PPPs); accelerate infrastructure rollout by streamlining permitting processes for telecom infrastructure (towers, fiber ducts), enforcing infrastructure sharing policies, and prioritizing national broadband initiatives in the process; foster competition and affordability by implementing policies and spectrum management strategies (to accelerate 5G rollout); support community networks and localized digital hubs, and provide incentives for infrastructure sharing and open access models.

“Open, affordable, and nationwide connectivity will not just future-proof our economy, it will empower every Filipino to take part in that future starting today,” Uy, who is also the chairman of the 51st PBC&E, said as he invited the public to the conference taking place on October 20-21 at the SMX Convention Center.