PH telcos flag security risks in Internet Access Bill

THE Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO) urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to review the Konektadong Pinoy Act, warning the ratified bill could pose national security and regulatory risks if enacted.

While supporting the goal of broader internet access, the group—composed of the country’s major telecom firms—raised concerns over provisions that remove the need for new data providers to secure a legislative franchise or Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN).

“This creates a two-tier system. Existing players remain subject to full regulation, while new entrants operate with fewer checks. That’s a national security concern and a fairness issue,” said Atty. Froilan Castelo, PCTO president and Globe Telecom general counsel, in a statement.

Castelo also warned against exempting satellite services from registration with the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the National Telecommunications Commission, calling it a violation of the law’s own principle of technology neutrality.

“You cannot claim to be technology-neutral and at the same time give one technology a free pass,” he said, citing the removal of spectrum application requirements as a “dangerous backdoor.”

The group criticized the two-year compliance window for cybersecurity standards and the lack of obligation for new entrants to serve rural areas, warning it could leave underserved communities behind.

Citing past legislative missteps such as the POGO law, Castelo urged the administration to ensure the bill’s implementing rules address regulatory gaps and safeguard the industry.

“We cannot afford another case where gaps in the law create bigger problems down the road,” he said. / KOC