A former Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) official is raising alarms about the recently passed Konektadong Pinoy (KP) Bill, warning it could jeopardize national security and fail to address key issues in the telecommunications sector.
Former DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy publicly opposed the bill in a discussion with Secretary Henry Aguda, arguing that despite its good intentions, the legislation is based on a misunderstanding of the industry's supply chain.
Dy also urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to reconsider the bill in its current form and called for a more comprehensive study.
The KP Bill, which has been approved by both chambers of Congress, includes a contentious provision, Section 16, that mandates all Data Transmission Industry Players (DTIPs), including Public Telecommunications Entities (PTEs), to co-locate and share their infrastructure.
While Dy previously supported infrastructure sharing, he criticized this provision for oversimplifying a complex market.
Dy identified several critical weaknesses in the bill, beginning with its failure to regulate the excessive fees charged by malls and real estate developers for telecommunications infrastructure.
He said this oversight could prevent PTEs from effectively expanding services to more consumers.
Additionally, Dy highlighted weak enforcement provisions, noting that while Section 16(2) requires government agencies to implement rules for sharing in-building data infrastructure, penalties primarily target DTIPs.
He said the lack of accountability for lessors and developers could perpetuate high costs for consumers.
The former undersecretary also questioned the bill's international viability, pointing out that 99 percent of internet traffic flows through undersea cables managed by international consortiums. He questioned how Section 16 could be realistically enforced given these global regulations.
Dy raised specific national security concerns, citing a foreign company poised to provide broadband services in Northern Luzon.
He warned that connecting a Chinese-operated fiber network to local PTE infrastructures could endanger sensitive national interests.
Dy also noted that the bill's relaxed regulations for satellite operators could pose additional security vulnerabilities, as existing orbital slots over the Philippines are occupied by foreign entities, limiting the country’s control over its airspace.