A group urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to veto Konektadong Pinoy Bill or the Senate Bill No. 2699, citing the irregularities of the proposed measure.
Federation of International Cable TV Associations of the Philippines (FICTAP) National Chair Estrellita Juliano-Tamano made this call during the Kapihan Part 2 in Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC).
“I am appealing to our Congress and Senate and to the Office of the President, kung pwede i–veto itong Konektadong Pinoy Bill, hangga’t hindi natin ma-address fully well lahat ng problema na hindi nila naipasok,” Juliano-Tamano said.
The bill, also known as the Open Access Transmission Act, was approved on its third and final reading by the Senate on February 5.
FICTAP said that it supports the objective of the bill to provide more accessible internet connection to Filipinos, however, the group emphasized that the telco companies should still have liability to the Philippine government once it fails.
“They allow cable TV operators unregulated like what we are having now. Maski sino puwede nang mag-operate,” she said.
The bill aims to simplify the entry of service providers into the market, foster competition, and offer consumers more choices and affordable internet services.
The bill is now under review by the bicameral conference committee.
It can be recalled that Marcos certified the said bill as urgent.
The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO), of which Globe Telecommunications Inc. is a member, previously raised concerns about the bill, citing its potential to undermine fair competition and pose risks to national security.
“The bill’s exemption of data transmission providers from securing a congressional franchise and a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity creates an unequal regulatory environment, violating the principle of fair competition,” it said.
Groups have also been raising their concern over the bill due to security reasons, adding that some of its provisions are allegedly open to abuse.
