The Konektadong Pinoy bill, a measure aimed at expanding internet access and making connectivity more affordable, has officially lapsed into law after the Palace took no action within the 30-day deadline.
The law removes long-standing roadblocks for new players in the data transmission sector by scrapping the need for a legislative franchise and a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. This opens the door for smaller providers to enter the market, potentially boosting competition and lowering internet costs.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) welcomed the development, with Secretary Henry Aguda vowing to immediately convene stakeholders and work with the Department of Development (DepDev) to draft the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) within 90 days. Aguda emphasized that universal access will help power education, e-commerce, digital government services, and community growth.
However, not everyone is on board. Telco giant PLDT has expressed concerns, hinting it may challenge the law’s constitutionality. The company warned of cybersecurity risks and raised fairness issues, arguing that infrastructure built by major telcos may be compromised by new players.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who earlier certified the bill as urgent, has framed the measure as a critical step toward a more competitive, resilient, and inclusive digital economy.
you shouldn’t comment on PLDT and others, of course they would voice concern it’s an actual threat to their bottom line if an actual player enters and becomes big because of this law, they dont want to compete they just want to occupy different pieces of the pie. that’s why they dont strive to improve any of their services, or be good at first to outdo the competition with the bare minimum and once they pass the competition a bit they stop improving.