Telcos urge Marcos to veto Konektadong Pinoy bill over security concerns

A group of telecommunications companies urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to veto the Konektadong Pinoy bill on Monday, citing national security issues and inadequate protection for small players.

Lawyer Normandy Baldovino Jr., president of the Philippine Association of Private Telecommunications Companies (PAPTELCO), said the current bill lacks necessary clearances for building cable landing stations and international gateway facilities without a Congressional franchise.

Baldovino warned that allowing any company to build these facilities could compromise national security, similar to the issues faced with Philippine Offshore Gaming Corporations (POGO).

The group emphasized the need to correct the bill itself to ensure there are no adverse effects on implementing rules and regulations.

Other industry bodies have also raised concerns about provisions in the bill that weaken regulatory duties of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and lack vetting for new telecommunications players, while NEDA supports the measure for open access and transparency.