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Tech groups throw support for Konektadong Pinoy Act

Technology industry groups are backing the Konektadong Pinoy Act, saying it can "help close the country's connectivity gap." In a joint statement Saturday, the Global AI Council Philippines, the Blockchain Council of the Philippines, the Cybersecurity Council of the Philippines, the Data Center Association of the Philippines, the Fintech Philippines Association, and Go Digital Philippines said they support the measure, which is now awaiting the signature of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The tech industry groups said the bill would be a 'critical reform that will modernize the Philippines' digital infrastructure.' 'By replacing outdated, analog-era regulations with a forward-looking legal framework, the bill will promote competition, streamline the entry of new players, enable infrastructure sharing, and improve spectrum management," the groups said. "These changes will lower the cost of Internet services, accelerate network rollout, and expand access especially in underserved areas,' they added. The measure, however, has its fair share of critics, including the Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO), composed of the country's leading telcos, and the Philippine Association of Private Telecommunications Companies (PAPTELCO). PCTO called for a review of the ratified version of measure, citing national security concerns and weakening of regulatory oversight among new entrants in the country's connectivity service sector. PAPTELCO, on the other hand, urged Marcos to veto the bill, also flagging national security issues, as new players would no longer be required to secure a legislative franchise. Dara security Under the measure, new data transmission players are no longer required to secure a legislative franchise or Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN). The tech industry groups, meanwhile, urged Congress 'to exclude any data localization or sovereignty provisions in the final version of the law. Requiring that data be stored or processed only within Philippine territory will drive up business costs, disrupt operations, and limit access to technologies such as cloud computing and Al.' 'This would hurt SMEs, deter investment, and weaken the competitiveness of the Philippine IT-BPM and digital sectors. Data security is not about where data is stored, it is about how it is protected,' they said. 'The Konektadong Pinoy Act has the potential to be a foundation for digital transformation. We look forward to its passage and to working with government to realize a more connected Philippines,' they added. Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda is also backing the passage into law of the Konektadong Pinoy Act, saying it would increase competition in the country's telecoms space and eventually lower cost of services for the benefit of the consuming public. —VAL, GMA Integrated News