ADVOCACY | ICT councils ready as Konektadong Pinoy nears enactment
Konektadong Pinoy addresses outdated laws and regulations that have hampered the growth of digital infrastructure.
Hand holding fiber optic cord with Ethernet cables and network switching hub. LAN system communication in computer control room. Fiber optic cabling. (Hand holding fiber optic cord with Ethernet cables and network switching hub. LAN system communicati
The National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP) is ready to bring digital connectivity to the countryside, the group stated after the Senate approved Senate Bill No. 2699 (the proposed Konektadong Pinoy, or Comprehensive And Inclusive Data Transmission And Connectivity Framework For The Philippines Act) on Third Reading last February 5.
Konektadong Pinoy progressed rapidly in the Senate after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. certified the bill as urgent on January 27. The Senate’s Third Reading approval of SB 2699 is the closest the measure has come to becoming a law.
“NICP lauds President Marcos Jr. for certifying Konektadong Pinoy as urgent. We share his commitment to Philippine digitalization, and are ready to invest in countryside ICT infrastructure as soon as this landmark measure is enacted,” said Jessraf Palmares, NICP president and president of the Iloilo Federation for Information Technology.
Versions of Konektadong Pinoy have passed in the House but stalled in the Senate since the 17th Congress.
Prior to certification, Konektadong Pinoy was also among the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Committee (LEDAC) priority bills which Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero committed to passing in the 19th Congress.
“We are optimistic that Konektadong Pinoy will reach enactment given President Marcos’ backing, and urge Congress, led by Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero to approve the bill immediately,” Palmares added.
Konektadong Pinoy addresses outdated laws and regulations that have hampered the growth of digital infrastructure, as they discourage new players and bar smaller providers from building and operating their own data transmission networks. This has led to the Philippines consistently ranking poorly in global ICT rankings, such as the Digital Competitiveness Index and Network Readiness Index. Worst, this has saddled Filipinos with lack of Internet access in many communities and one of the most expensive internet services in the world.
NICP sees Konektadong Pinoy as a viable long-term solution to getting more investment in much-needed ICT infrastructure, especially in the countryside, from capable providers of all sizes, making use of different types of technologies. This will help bridge the growing digital divide between urban and rural Filipinos and accelerate Philippine digitalization through e-government, e-commerce, and online learning. The measure is also expected to contribute significantly to the growth of the Philippine digital economy by encouraging investment in support facilities such as towers and dark fiber, creating an enabling environment for data centers and cloud, and democratizing use of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence.
The National ICT Confederation of the Philippines is composed of 124 ICT Councils from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Founded in 2008, NICP aims to promote ICT development in the countryside and enable digital transformation for all Filipinos.
WATCH TECHSABADO and ’Today is Tuesday’ ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
WATCH OUR OTHER YOUTUBE CHANNELS:
PLEASE LIKE our FACEBOOK PAGE and SUBSCRIBE to OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
autoceremony >> experimental sound, synths, retro tech, shortwave
RACKET MUSIC GROUP >> alternative manila
Burning Chrome >>RC, die-cast cars, vintage anime, plus other collectibles
Zero Interrupt >>Vintage gadgets, gear and gizmos, plus some new one too!
PLEASE LIKE our FACEBOOK PAGE and SUBSCRIBE to OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
