A FORMER top official of the Department of Information and Communications Technology who oversaw programs like the National Broadband Program on Wedjoined the other groups and individuals in urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to veto the controversial ‘Konektadong Pinoy’ bill which “would be a potential threat to national security, among others.”
Ex-DICT undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy, who used to be in charge for infostructure management, cybersecurity and upskilling, told the ‘Huntahan’ forum hosted by Toto Ylagan at the Quezon Memorial Circle.
“Except for its particular provision, the Section 16 (2), which clearly indicates the lack of sufficient security mechanisms, specifically in safeguarding the digital infrastructure of the country.”
Once the bill becomes a law, Dy said all data transmission industry players as well as public telecommunications entities could no longer deny other industry players to co-locate and share their in-building data infrastructure with them.
Reiterating the clear threat to national security, Dy cited a Chinese company which has been running a huge fiber network in Northern Luzon wherein local government units were subscribers for its broadband services, among others.
“If this fiber network could now co-locate and share with the technology and data infrastructure of the existing established DTIPs under the Konektadong Pinoy bill, there would be a strong possibility of putting the national interest at risk.”
The bill has overlooked the need to also regulate malls, real estate developers and other property owners that impose high rental fees. They could perpetuate high costs, the erstwhile DICT official said.
Noting that 99 percent of internet traffic travels through undersea cables managed by international consortiums, he’s wondering how Section 16 could be realistically enforced in the context of global telecommunications regulations.
Since, Section 16 of KP bill would make in-building data infrastructure sharing a must among the DTIPs, nowhere in the same provision that restricts foreign telecommunication company “like the Chinese firm that runs the fiber network in Northern Luzon.”
Moreover, the bill may also expose the Philippines to further security vulnerabilities, as existing orbital slots above the nation are occupied by foreign entities, limiting the country’s control over its airspace.
Dy insisted that the bill lacks proper regulatory oversight and “what is at stake here is our national security, more importantly.”
