MANILA, Philippines – Suportado ng technology industry groups ang Konektadong Pinoy Act, sa pagsasabing ito ay makatutulong sa pagsasara ng connectivity gap ng bansa.
Sa joint statement nitong Sabado, Hulyo 12, sinabi ng Global AI Council Philippines, Blockchain Council of the Philippines, Cybersecurity Council of the Philippines, Data Center Association of the Philippines, Fintech Philippines Association, at Go Digital Philippines na sinusuportahan nila ang naturang hakbang na ngayon ay naghihintay na lamang ng pirma ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Sinabi ng tech industry groups na ang panukala ay magiging isang “critical reform that will modernize the Philippines’ digital infrastructure.”
“By replacing outdated, analog-era regulations with a forward-looking legal framework, the bill will promote competition, streamline the entry of new players, enable infrastructure sharing, and improve spectrum management,” sinabi pa ng mga grupo.
“These changes will lower the cost of Internet services, accelerate network rollout, and expand access especially in underserved areas,” dagdag pa.
Sa kabila nito, matatandaan na marami ring kritiko ang naturang panukala, kabilang ang Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO), na binubuo ng mga nangungunang telco sa bansa, at ang Philippine Association of Private Telecommunications Companies (PAPTELCO).
Nanawagan ang PCTO ng pagsusuri ng ratified version ng panukala na nagsasabing may banta ito sa national security at nagpapahina sa regulatory oversight sa mga bagong entrants sa connectivity service sector ng bansa.
Hinimok naman ng PAPTELCO ang Pangulo na i-veto ang panukala dahil din sa banta ng national security dahil hindi na kailangan ng mga bagong player na kumuha ng legislative franchise.
Samantala, hinimok ng tech industry groups, ang Kongreso “to exclude any data localization or sovereignty provisions in the final version of the law. Requiring that data be stored or processed only within Philippine territory will drive up business costs, disrupt operations, and limit access to technologies such as cloud computing and Al.”
“This would hurt SMEs, deter investment, and weaken the competitiveness of the Philippine IT-BPM and digital sectors. Data security is not about where data is stored, it is about how it is protected,” anila.
“The Konektadong Pinoy Act has the potential to be a foundation for digital transformation. We look forward to its passage and to working with government to realize a more connected Philippines,” dagdag pa.
Suportado ni Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda ang pagsasabatas ng Konektadong Pinoy Act, sa pagsasabing magpapataas ito sa kompetisyon ng telecoms space sa bansa at magpapababa ng halaga ng serbisyo at magpapataas ng benepisyo ng publiko. RNT/JGC
