THE Konektadong Pinoy Act, which aimed to address the country’s long-standing issues of high internet costs, low service quality, and lack of competition in the telecommunications sector, has lapsed into law.
Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed that the measure became law without President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signing it.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) earlier said the measure will address “roadblocks that have stifled competition and innovation for years.”
It streamlines the licensing process for telecommunication firms, promotes infrastructure sharing, and allows new and smaller players to invest in data transmission infrastructure without the need for a legislative franchise.
The DICT said the measure is expected to drive increased competition that will ultimately benefit the public, especially those in far-flung areas.
“There’s no denying that Konektadong Pinoy will increase competition in the industry… and nobody is going to deny that competition will be good for the industry,” DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said.
“Konektadong Pinoy squarely addresses affordability because the more competition… the public will have more choices, which would bring down prices,” he added.
The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO), composed of the country’s leading telecommunication companies, earlier called for urgent attention to unresolved risks in the Konektadong Pinoy Act, particularly those that could lead to national security vulnerabilities, weaken regulatory oversight, and destabilize the telecommunications sector in the long run.
While the group expressed support for the measure, it said it lowers the bar for accountability and exposes the country to risks tied to unregulated infrastructure and potential foreign control.
“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,” PCTO President and Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo said. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)