Walk the talk in letting technology drive recovery and growth
July 11, 2022CitizenWatch Philippines calls on the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to expand and improve the country’s digital infrastructure because this is indispensable to our recovery from the economic slump and to our sustained development.
We should overcome numerous roadblocks and hurdles that prevent us from realizing our full potential to be a tech-driven economy. Concrete steps must be taken so that we can build infrastructure that would enable more Filipinos to have access to reliable internet services.
An example of such a step is decisive action by the 19th Congress on House Bill 10388, or “An Act Mandating the Allocation of an Area for Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure and Facilities in Subdivisions and Housing Developments.” During the previous Congresss, this was unanimously passed on third reading but did not become law under the Duterte administration.
If this bill is enacted, existing and future housing developments will be mandated to set aside portions of their land – up to 30% of the gross area for open spaces — for ICT facilities. This will correct the situation where homeowners’ associations and communities prohibit the construction of cell sites and other communication infrastructure in their areas. Currently, telecommunication companies encounter permitting issues hindering them from providing better internet service to the people.
A digitally powered economy will ultimately serve the interest of all Filipinos, who will be able to partake of the benefits of technology, boost their productivity and employability, and enjoy upward economic mobility.