Palace: Konektadong Pinoy lapses into law

The Konektadong Pinoy Bill, which allows new data transmission players to operate without a legislative franchise or Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), has lapsed into law, Malacañang confirmed over the weekend.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro on Sunday said the bill lapsed into law, nearly two weeks after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was reported to be reviewing the measure.

“Lapsed into law na po (It already lapsed into law),” she said in a mobile message to reporters.

The proposed measure has drawn flak from some groups such as the Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO), made of the country’s leading telecommunications companies, and the Philippine Association of Private Telecommunications Companies (PAPTELCO).

The PCTO earlier said that while it supports the bill’s goal of expanding internet access across the country, the measure could lead to national security vulnerabilities, weaken regulatory oversight, and destabilize the telecommunications sector.

Pangilinan-led PLDT Inc. earlier said it is hoping that the measure would not be signed into law by Marcos, but should it be passed into law, it would have to go to courts and raise the issue of constitutionality.

Meanwhile, Ayala-led Globe Telecom has urged Marcos to return the measure to Congress for further refinement, ensuring that it fully delivers on its transformative objectives, as this could only be achieved with a level playing field across the industry.

The measure has been backed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), saying that it would not allow deregulation at the expense of security or public interest.

Under the enrolled bill, foreign entities looking to enter the data transmission industry will be subject to existing Philippine laws including the Foreign Investments Act of 1991 and the Public Service Act, that provide that foreign participation can be reviewed for potential national security implications.

For its part, the DICT welcomed the Konektadong Pinoy lapsing into law, saying that the it will immediately convene stakeholders to draft the implementing rules and regulations (IRR), along with the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev) in the next 90 days.

“The Konektadong Pinoy Act is not just about building networks; it’s about building opportunities for every Filipino,” DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said in a statement.

“By making internet access truly universal, we are creating a foundation for better education, e-commerce growth, accessible government services, and stronger communities,” he added.??

The DICT earlier said that the measure would not weaken the role of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). — RF/BM, GMA Integrated News