PLDT, other service providers back Recto’s free Wi-Fi access bill

MANILA, Philippines – Leading telecommunication companies, including Philippine Long Distant Telephone Company, are supporting a bill filed by Senator Ralph Recto providing free Wi-Fi access in public places in Metro Manila, but experts noted it can only apply to key areras where infrastructure is readily available.

”We really support the measure. We do not see a negative impact for so long as there would be an agreement between private telcos and government on the use of the facilities,” Joel Pinera of PLDT’s legal department said in a Senate hearing Tuesday on Senate Bill 2232 or Free Metro Manila WiFi Act of 2014.

Derek Lim, senior legal counsel of GlobeTelecoms, Inc., said they support the proposed bill “because it is good for our country and people.” Lim, however, expressed reservation on Section 5 of the bill which provides:“These hotspots will be made available using initially the services of existing commercial internet service providers until such time that the national broadband system has been installed.”

Lim asked Senate Science and Technology committee chairman Recto how long that initial period would be. He also wanted to know whether an IPS providing internet infrastructures can get tax exemptions.

Recto promised to include Globe’s concerns in the technical working group (TWG) discussion. “Our business model in the Philippines is that we will leave to the private sector the operation and maintenance, and not compete with the private sector,” Recto said.

Doable, implementable – but mainly in key cities

Louis Napoleon Casambre, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) undersecretary for Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO), said Recto’s bill is “doable and implementable.”

The Internet or broadband connectivity has been proven worldwide to be a key driver for economic growth, Casambre said. In fact, he added, the ICTO had proposed similar free internet access in the DOST’s 2014 budget proposal.

Casambre supported Recto’s proposal to give to the private sector the maintenance and operation of the proposed free WiFi connectivity to the private sector. Under the bill, the free Internet in Metro Manila may be accessible in all government buildings; health centers and hospitals; public schools; parks; airports; libraries; tollways and expressways; Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) and other national roads; transport terminals; ports; and, Light Rail Transit, Metro Rail Transit and Philippine National Railway stations.

While calling it a doable project in Metro Manila, Casambre said installing free internet connectivity in rural areas, especially in the fourth- to sixth-class municipalities entails much bigger funding owing to the limited infrastructure.

”Based on Department of Education statistics, only 17 percent of the 38,596 public elementary schools are areas with internet connectivity. There is a challenge of infrastructure connectivity,” Casambre said.

Meanwhile, the Bloggers and Netizens for Democracy (BAND) and Infocomm Technology Association of the Philippines (ITAP) also supported the measure but urged Recto to include provisions that would protect free WiFi from misuses and abuses.

There is a temptation to abuse free services. There should be safeguards with regard to the misuse and abuses, as [the free service] might be used to attack people and government infrastructure. We support the bill but details should be threshed out,” Toby Purisima of BAND legal department said.

Recto promised to address the concerns, but urged the public to “focus on the positive” side of the measure. “Any technology can be used for good and for bad purpose. It’s like a cellphone, it can be used to harm people but it has more positive benefits,” Recto said. The free internet access in Metro Manila will attract more tourists and spur more economic activities, Recto said. –Ernie Reyes, InterAksyon.com