Recommendations (Telecommunications)

Having problems with names? Check Abbreviations

Headline Recommendations

  1. Undertake programs to use broadband to empower a majority of Filipinos, providing inexpensive access to information and e-governance. Develop a national plan to double computer penetration and triple Internet penetration, including a National Broadband Roadmap and free Wi-Fi access in crowded urban areas. Prepare for widespread use of mobile phones and devices to connect Filipinos inexpensively to the Internet. Provide fiscal or other incentives.
  2. Pass necessary legislation such as amendments to the Telecommunications Policy Act and the DICT bill. Use executive orders and pass other legislation needed to give most Filipinos access to information technology.
  3. Make e-governance a reality for most Filipinos, enabling Internet access for interactions with government and enhancing transparency. The president should appoint a Task Force to prepare recommendations for an ambitious e-governance program. Use digital fund transfer technology for public sector payments. Create a national government data center and website. Promote a national GPS mapping and information system.
  4. Expand mobile phone service in remote areas with more cell sites to benefit economic development and tourism. Provide fiscal or other incentives.

Recommendations (11):

A. Pass important legislation to update telecommunications policy with an overhaul of R.A. 7925 (Public Telecommunications Policy Act), updating it to authorize full convergence (telecommunications and broadcast) and make amendments strengthening the pricing methodologies and competition-related provisions. (Immediate action DOTC, CICT, Congress, and private sector)

B. Pass the long-overdue bill to create a DICT in order to deliver the full benefits of information technology and the Internet to Filipinos. (Immediate action CITC, Congress, and private sector)

C. Develop a national plan to double computer penetration in Philippine households and triple Internet penetration (see Table 43). Study how other ASEAN-6 economies have raised their penetration data more successfully than the Philippines. (Immediate action NEDA, CICT, and private sector)

D. Such a national plan should include a National Broadband Roadmap. (Immediate action NEDA, CICT, and private sector)

E. Establish targets to upgrade the speed of broadband and expand coverage. Provide fiscal or other incentives to private firms in order to accelerate achievement of targets and develop and implement a public sector program for last mile service in remote, missionary areas of the country. Any government procurement of broadband infrastructure should be transparent. Achieve targets for faster and expanded broadband. (Medium-term action DOTC, CICT, and private sector)

F. Create a plan for free wireless Internet services in public high schools and in densely populated areas of the country’s largest cities. This will enable future digital access for students with laptops, Internet-enabled mobile phones, and mobile digital reading devices. Implement the plan expeditiously. (Immediate action NEDA, CICT, DEPED, and private sector)

G. Create a national government data center and website to improve storage of and public access to government information and to centralize the growing number of government websites, creating more uniformity, and improving their quality. Digitally link the databases of government agencies. This will enable the government to be more efficient and effective. (Immediate action CICT, DOTC, and private sector)

H. Make e-governance a reality for most Filipinos. Enable easy access via the Internet for as many interactions with government as possible and many other government services now requiring inefficient paper processing.130 Appoint by executive order a public-private sector Task Force reporting to the Executive Secretary that will make recommendations within six months and issue the recommendations by executive order. (Medium-term action OP, NEDA, CICT, all government agencies, Congress, and private sector)

I. As part of the e-governance report and program, study and use digital fund transfer technology for various government payments to citizens, such as conditional cash transfers, GSIS, SSS, and Philhealth benefits, as well as payments to the government, such as immigration, licensing, permit fees, duties, and taxes. (Medium-term action same as H above)

J. Install a national GPS mapping and information system to enable Filipinos using the next generation of wireless-equipped mobile phones, as well as tourists, to quickly obtain directions and practical information. A land traffic data capability should be included. (Medium-term action DOTC, CICT, NAMRIA, and private sector)

K. Expand mobile phone service in remote areas with more cellular sites to benefit economic development and tourism. Provide fiscal or other appropriate incentives to accelerate installation in areas that are not commercially profitable. (Medium-term action by DOF, DOTC, DTI, and private sector)

“Bottom line: ICT is not only fundamental to growth and sustainability of the Philippine economy; it is also a basic human need.”

—Lauro Vives, Founding President/CEO, XMG Global (Asia–Pacific), a Canadian-based ICT research and advisory firm, from Letter to New President on ICT, MAP Insights column, Businessworld, May 25, 2010

Footnotes

  1. Possible e-governance services include voter registration, school registration, paying taxes, business registration, obtaining birth and death certificates, land titles, passports, and NBI clearances.[Top]