Members of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), led by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, have sought a congressional investigation to determine why the country is lagging behind its neighbors in terms of cost-efficient, fast, and accessible internet services.
“The necessary laws are in place, the newest of which is the Konektadong Pinoy Act. But something is not right. We need internet in many aspects of our lives. Yet, half of Pinoys are not konektado,” Romualdez said.
House Resolution 823, personally filed by House Deputy Speakers David Suarez (Quezon) and Jay Khonghun (Zambales), called on the Committee on Information and Communications Technology to lead the investigation.
Romualdez said the resolution seeks to determine the “reliability, quality, affordability, and consumer remedies relating to internet and data transmission services in the country…. with the end in view of strengthening service standards, transparency, competition, and digital inclusion.”
“The access to reliable, affordable, and high-quality internet and data transmission services has become essential to productivity-led growth and the delivery of critical public and private services, including education, healthcare, financial inclusion, disaster resilience, and commerce,” Romualdez said.
Suarez said that the research conducted by the National Information and Communications Technology Household in 2024 showed that only 48.8% or less than half of Filipino households had internet access at home.
“The same research also found that affordability was a binding barrier, with a majority of offline households citing high subscription cost as a principal reason for not having internet access at home,” Suarez said.
In terms of broadband speed and cost, Khonghun said that data from the Department of Information and Technology showed that as of March last year, the Philippines ranked 53rd out of 154 countries in speed.
Khonghun said the Philippine Institute for Development Studies reported that among the ASEAN-5, the Philippines had the costliest monthly internet at US$44.93 and placed 32nd globally in terms of cost.
“The country’s internet connectivity continues to lag behind its regional peers in terms of affordability, speed, and access,” Khonghun lamented.
Research published by the Asian Development Bank also indicated that “improved internet connectivity is associated with improved household welfare outcomes, reinforcing the development importance of reliable and accessible connectivity.”
“There is therefore a need to examine whether current regulatory frameworks, competition policies, and consumer protection mechanisms are sufficient to address these challenges, or whether legislative reforms are necessary,” the resolution read.
The resolution is part of Lakas-CMD’s GINHAWA KIT (Kuryente–Internet–Trabaho) legislative package, aimed at easing daily burdens by lowering electricity costs, improving internet access, and expanding job opportunities for Filipinos.
