The Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) has called on the government to immediately pass the Konektadong Pinoy bill, formerly known as the proposed Open Access in Data Transmission Act, which is pending in the current Congress.

The bill aims to strengthen the country’s internet infrastructure and enhance digital connectivity, as it will also reduce costs and expand access to high-quality internet services for all Filipinos, especially those in unserved and underserved areas.

“According to a recent World Bank study, only about 33 percent of Filipino households have access to fixed internet,” said the JFC, a coalition of the American, Australian-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese, and Korean chambers, and the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Inc. (PAMURI), representing a combination of more than 3,000 member-businesses.

It added, “Prohibitive costs and lack of internet infrastructure contribute to the prevailing digital divide. The Philippines also lags behind its middle-income peers in ASEAN in internet access, speed, and affordability for mobile and fixed services. We call for swift passage of the Konektadong Pinoy (Open Access) bill to bridge these critical gaps in internet infrastructure and help ensure that families have the internet they need for work, school, and more.”

The group noted that the bill is included in the Common Legislative Agenda of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), and was identified by the Senate as among the LEDAC priority measures.

“Passage of this bill will reduce costs and expand access to high-quality internet services by lowering barriers to entry in the data transmission sector and encouraging more competition and investment in data transmission, especially in underserved areas throughout the Philippines,” the foreign businesses underscored.

The JFC said that it supported key reforms in the bill, such as the removal of the legislative franchise requirement for data transmission industry participants and adoption of a policy framework that promotes infrastructure sharing.

“The Konektadong Pinoy bill will accelerate the growing trend towards digital transformation in the Philippines,” the JFC emphasized.

The JFC is a coalition of the American, Australian-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese, Korean chambers and PAMURI. The JFC shared that its member businesses are engaged in some $100 billion worth of trade and over $30 billion worth of investments in the Philippines.

They declared support for open international trade, increased foreign investment, and improved conditions for business to benefit both the Philippines and the countries that the group represents.

📷 Marvin Meyer (unsplash)