De Lima proposes telcos to provide free access to government websites
Published Jul 1, 2018 12:40 pm
By Hannah Torregoza
Senator Leila de Lima on Sunday pressed for the passage into law of a Senate bill that would require all telecommunication companies to provide the public free and easy access to all government websites, especially in far-flung areas of the country.
Senator Leila de Lima (REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco / MANILA BULLETIN)
De Lima pointed out it is imperative that the government adapts with technological advancement in a changing social and economic landscape in order to provide a more efficient, safer, and equitable public service for all Filipinos.
“Catering to Filipino who have access to smart phones, this bill will connect each citizen to the vast catalogues of government information,” de Lima said of Senate Bill No. 1852, or the proposed “Free Access to Government Websites Act.”
“Ordinary Filipinos will be empowered to be more critical and participative in the decision-making processes that shape our society,” de Lima stressed.
The detained senator noted that though the Philippines already has a “Free Internet Access in Public Places Act” that was passed in 2017, many people still do not enjoy free and easy access to Internet in public areas due to the geographic constraint, especially in the countryside.
“At present, not everyone is fortunate enough to experience this technological innovation,” she said.
Citing a 2014 study, the lawmaker pointed out that the Philippines is said to be “experiencing a digital divide” where 66 percent of the middle to upper class being Internet users as compared to only 35 percent and 18 percent of the poor and very poor classes, respectively.
Poverty, she also noted, consequentially denies the majority of the Filipino people access to Wi-FI due to issues on proximity to telecommunication infrastructures and high service cost restrictions.
De Lima said the bill envisions an empowered Filipino citizenry with full-access to integral and official government information in the Internet.
Under the bill, the public can enjoy full and uninhibited access to government websites provided by telecommunications entities free of any charge or service cost.
To ease the burden of public telecommunication (Telcos) entities in the enforcement of the proposed law, De Lima said the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) would be mandated to assist government agencies in ensuring that their respective websites can be accessed with minimal data requirements.
The measure also imposes a fine of not less than P1-million, but not more than P10-million, and or a suspension or revocation of its legislative franchise and other permits and licenses by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) if they are found to violate the proposed law.
Senator Leila de Lima (REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco / MANILA BULLETIN)
De Lima pointed out it is imperative that the government adapts with technological advancement in a changing social and economic landscape in order to provide a more efficient, safer, and equitable public service for all Filipinos.
“Catering to Filipino who have access to smart phones, this bill will connect each citizen to the vast catalogues of government information,” de Lima said of Senate Bill No. 1852, or the proposed “Free Access to Government Websites Act.”
“Ordinary Filipinos will be empowered to be more critical and participative in the decision-making processes that shape our society,” de Lima stressed.
The detained senator noted that though the Philippines already has a “Free Internet Access in Public Places Act” that was passed in 2017, many people still do not enjoy free and easy access to Internet in public areas due to the geographic constraint, especially in the countryside.
“At present, not everyone is fortunate enough to experience this technological innovation,” she said.
Citing a 2014 study, the lawmaker pointed out that the Philippines is said to be “experiencing a digital divide” where 66 percent of the middle to upper class being Internet users as compared to only 35 percent and 18 percent of the poor and very poor classes, respectively.
Poverty, she also noted, consequentially denies the majority of the Filipino people access to Wi-FI due to issues on proximity to telecommunication infrastructures and high service cost restrictions.
De Lima said the bill envisions an empowered Filipino citizenry with full-access to integral and official government information in the Internet.
Under the bill, the public can enjoy full and uninhibited access to government websites provided by telecommunications entities free of any charge or service cost.
To ease the burden of public telecommunication (Telcos) entities in the enforcement of the proposed law, De Lima said the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) would be mandated to assist government agencies in ensuring that their respective websites can be accessed with minimal data requirements.
The measure also imposes a fine of not less than P1-million, but not more than P10-million, and or a suspension or revocation of its legislative franchise and other permits and licenses by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) if they are found to violate the proposed law.