Imee calls for immediate signing of Konektadong Pinoy Bill

Senator Imee Marcos on Tuesday called for the immediate signing of the proposed Konektadong Pinoy Act (KPA), urging the administration to deliver on its commitment of strengthening digital services for all Filipinos.

In a press release, Imee cited the remarks of his brother, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., in his fourth State of the Nation Address, saying that "the government must fully embrace digitalization to provide better service to the people, through its vital frontline services and its back-end functions." 

"If the administration is serious about this commitment, there should be no reason to delay the full passage and implementation of the KPA," Imee said.

Imee said the funding for the KPA could be included in the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

"We are already a generation behind in digitalization. Delaying the implementation of the KPA further poses a serious threat to our nation's development. We must allocate funding for it without delay," she said. 

GMA News Online has asked the Presidential Communications Office for comment on the matter, but it has yet to respond as of posting time. 

Under the proposed measure, new data transmission players are no longer required to secure a legislative franchise or Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN).

The measure, however, has faced criticisms from some groups, including the Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO), composed of the country's leading telcos, and the Philippine Association of Private Telecommunications Companies (PAPTELCO).

The PCTO had called for a review of the ratified version of the measure, citing national security concerns and weakening of regulatory oversight among new entrants in the country's connectivity service sector.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), for its part, defended the bill, saying that it would never allow deregulation at the expense of security or public interest. 

Further, the DICT assured that the measure would not weaken the role of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Lawmakers have urged the DICT to begin drafting the measure's implementing rules and regulations. 

Meanwhile, Imee also agreed with Philtrust Bank Chairman Hermogenes Esperon's observation that the President had missed an opportunity in his last SONA to discuss plans for improving the digital economy.

"Esperon is right. It was a missed opportunity to lay out concrete strategies for growing the digital economy, which has the potential to increase government revenue and help address the country's annual budget deficit," she said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News