35 groups supports ‘Konektadong Pinoy’ Bill, urge President Marcos to sign into law

• IN PHOTO: All 35 signatories that support Konektadong Pinoy Bill. (Photo. Courtesy of DICT)

By TechWatch PH Staff

A coalition of 35 organizations from across government, business, and civil society on Tuesday, July 15 has issued a joint statement urging President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to sign the Konektadong Pinoy Bill into law, calling it a “historic piece of legislation” that will democratize internet access and boost digital inclusion across the country.

The Konektadong Pinoy Bill (KPB), also known as the Open Access in Data Transmission Act, has passed both houses of Congress and is now awaiting the President’s signature.

The bill is being hailed as a pro-Filipino, pro-consumer, and pro-competition measure designed to lower internet costs, encourage market competition, and expand broadband access—especially in underserved barangays.

The joint statement commended President Marcos for certifying the bill as urgent and recognized Congress for years of deliberation and refinement. “This could potentially be this administration’s greatest legacy,” the signatories said.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev), Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) have all expressed support, noting that the bill aligns with national goals of reducing inequality, promoting e-governance, and advancing digital jobs.

According to the statement, over 19,000 barangays still lack proper internet access. The bill aims to address this by streamlining licensing, allowing infrastructure sharing, and enabling smaller players to operate without burdensome legislative franchise requirements—an obstacle unique to the Philippines.

The signatories also pushed back against criticisms that the bill compromises national security. “Claims of Konektadong Pinoy resulting in security issues are unfounded,” the statement read. It emphasized that the bill mandates a cybersecurity performance audit, excludes foreign government-controlled entities from operating networks, and requires national security assessments for infrastructure interconnection.

Among the signatories are the Alliance of Tech Innovators for the Nation (ATIN); the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. (AMCHAM); the Analytics & Artificial Intelligence Association of the Philippines (AAP); the Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA); the Association for Progressive Communications (APC); Better Internet PH (BIP); and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. (CANCHAM).

Also included are the Chief Information Officers Forum, Inc. (CIOF); the Chief Information Officers Forum Foundation (CIOFF); Democracy.net.ph; the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP); the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP); Fintech Alliance.PH; the Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA); the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA); the Internet and Technology Association of the Philippines (ITAP); the Internet Society (ISOC); the Internet Society – Philippines Chapter (ISOC-PH); the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Inc. (JCCIPI); the Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. (KCCP); and the League of Goal-Oriented Information and Communications Technologists, Inc. (LOGICT).

Other groups that have expressed their support include the Maharlika Internet Exchange (MaharlikaIX); MozillaPH; the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO); the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP); the Philippine Councilors League (PCL); the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT); the Philippine Institute of Cyber Security Professionals (PICSPRO); the Provincial Health Officers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PHOAP); PizzaPy – Cebu Python Users Group; the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP); Unconnected.org; the University of the Philippines Computer Science Guild; User Experience Philippines (UXPH); and the Wiki Society of the Philippines (WikiSocPH).

Stakeholders affirmed that the bill underwent nearly a decade of scrutiny, and urged the President to act swiftly. “We stand ready to contribute to the successful implementation of this historic legislation,” they said.