A SENIOR lawmaker made a pitch for the passage of a measure granting President Duterte emergency powers to address poor Internet speed and connectivity in the Philippines.
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said House Bill (HB) 312 also seeks to declare the poor Internet speed and connectivity in the country as a national emergency.
The measure declares slow Internet speed and poor Internet connectivity as a national emergency, conversely declaring Internet speed and quality as a national imperative being a source of national competitiveness.
In this connection, the bill seeks to grant the President of the Republic of the Philippines emergency powers to adopt the necessary measures to be able to harness all available resources to address Internet problems in two years.
Under the bill, the President is given the authority to utilize all government resources, perform executive actions, unhampered and unbridled by existing laws, regulations and procedures.
The bill seeks to grant the President the power to streamline regulatory processes and procedures in relation to the development and improvement of Internet infrastructure, any application for the construction of cell sites or cell towers and installation of related infrastructure facilities.
It also requires concerned local government units (LGUs) and other national agencies to issue the necessary permits for the construction of cell site or cell tower or other similar facilities within seven days, which may be extended only under exceptional circumstances.
The bill gives the President a power to enter into partnership or collaborative arrangement with any entity, public or private, to share resources that would achieve public interest consistent to the desired objective of this proposal.
The measure will mandate the provision of incentive plans and opportunities, as well as impose penalties whenever necessary.
The secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will be designated as the Internet Speed and Connectivity Crisis Manager. The DICT will formulate a sustainable five-year Internet Speed and Connectivity Reform Plan, which will set target speed and coverage; quality metrics and Competition Policy and Consumer Welfare aspects including affordability.
The bill also seeks to transform the Common Tower Policy of the DICT into binding law.
‘Alter ego’
As alter ego of the President, the DICT secretary shall, under the bill, have the powers to modify, amend, or expand the functions of the DICT or the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) as may be determined under the plan.
The secretary will have the power to override the permits and licenses, including building permit procedures and governing ordinances of LGUs, as well as the relevant and existing procedures, and implement such other measures as exigencies shall require.
Also included in the powers of the DICT head: to enter into, using perpetually, private properties, when necessary for the speedy connection and construction of connectivity linkages network and to acquire any land or property for the purpose of developing future connectivity projects, to minimize cost of acquisition, and maximize value capture opportunities for the government.
To avoid prolonged litigation and legal disruption that would delay the immediate resolution of the crisis, temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions shall not be issued against the government or any of its subdivisions, official or any person or entity.
Laggard
In his explanatory note, Salceda said among Asia-Pacific countries, the Philippines has remained the “cellar-staying laggard” in terms of Internet speed and affordability.
Citing Akamai Technologies Inc.’s 2016 report, Salceda said the Philippines ranked 14 among 15 countries in the Asia-Pacific region with respect to Internet speed, averaging a woeful 3.5 Mbps, at best 5.5 Mbps (megabits per second).
1 comment
it is high time that we did this. no more time to waste,