FIFTY-THREE Philippine medical and healthcare associations are calling President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. to sign the Konektadong Pinoy bill into law, urging him to equip healthcare workers and promote universal healthcare by providing all Filipinos with reliable, world-class internet connectivity.
In a joint statement, the medical community warned that poor digital infrastructure “threatens to stymie or even reverse hard-won improvements to the Philippine healthcare system.”
Citing data from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), they noted that about 19,000 barangays — 45% of all barangays — still lack digital infrastructure, and 37.5% of households remain unconnected. This means that millions of Filipinos and their healthcare providers must still rely on pen and paper.
“Without connectivity, many rural health units cannot view or submit electronic records and conduct other critical tasks. This represents a barrier to healthcare access for many communities in the countryside,” said Dr. Hector Santos, Philippine Medical Association President.
The statement highlighted how poor connectivity limits access to Health Information Systems (HIS) and Health Information Technology (Health IT) that “improve the quality of patient care and patient outcomes.”
Despite the Universal Health Care Law (RA 11223) mandating electronic medical records, many facilities—especially in rural areas—remain non-compliant due to inadequate digital infrastructure.
“Connectivity was our main problem in piloting primary care in a rural and remote site,” added Dr. Antonio Dans, President of the Asia Pacific Center for Evidence-Based Health Care.
To address these digital challenges, the associations endorsed the Konektadong Pinoy bill as “key to giving healthcare professionals the tools they need, and Filipinos the care they deserve.” They emphasized how the bill could empower doctors in remote areas and patients with disabilities by enabling access to digital records and virtual consultations.
The groups also cited a drop in telemedicine use since the pandemic — largely due to poor internet connectivity in the country.
This statement marks the latest wave of support for the Konektadong Pinoy bill.
This statement adds to 35 private sector and civil society organizations that have endorsed the bill, along with individual statements of support from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association (PCTA), the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex), and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP).
In the executive branch, the bill is supported by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC).
The Konektadong Pinoy bill is seen as a game-changer—expected to improve competition and make internet services more affordable for millions of Filipinos nationwide. PR