DICT hopeful of Konektadong Pinoy Bill passage in June

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) expressed optimism Monday that the Konektadong Pinoy Bill will be approved by June once Congress resumes session following its break due to the midterm elections.

According to DICT bureau director Maria Victoria Castro, the agency is hopeful of the passage of the measure once Congress resumes session, given that it has been certified as urgent by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“The law has been passed on third reading already, so it will be up for bicameral tackle, mai-a-agenda na sa (it will be on the agenda of the) bicameral, so hopefully kapag nag-open ulit ‘yung Kongreso, masasalang na (once Congress reopens, it will be tackled),” she told reporters in Taguig City on Monday.

The Senate and the House adjourned on February 7 and are scheduled to resume session on June 2, 2025.

Under the proposed measure, the DICT and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) will jointly maintain and update a centralized database of data transmission infrastructure. The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) and the NTC will also be mandated to ensure that industry players are fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory in their dealings.

Castro said the DICT is open to the latest version of the measure, which was crafted by the Executive branch together with the 19th Congress.

“But of course, it’s really up to the Congress kung ano ‘yung magiging (final version), kasi marami pang discussion sa bicameral so we would not know what is the format of the law. It’s just that may mga drafts and then ‘yun ‘yung ico-consider ng both houses kung ano ‘yung ilalabas,” she said.

(But of course, it’s really up to the Congress what the final version will be, because there will still be a lot of discussion in the bicameral, so we would not know what is the format of the law. It’s just that there are drafts which will be considered by both houses to determine what will be released.)

Several agencies such as the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) have been pushing for the passage of the measure, which it said would provide open access and transparency in the country’s data transmission sector.

The PCC has also expressed support for the measure, as it said it would drive the development of a competitive, affordable, and accessible telecommunications sector.

“This bill articulates the state policy on data inclusivity, introduces key reforms in the approval process of telecommunications companies, as well as mainstreams competition principles in the national comprehensive data transmission and connectivity framework,” PCC commissioner Lolibeth Ramit-Medrano said in a separate statement on Monday. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News