I recently searched the websites of the Philippine Senate and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for the word “internet” and I was very disappointed with the results.
On the Senate website, it only appeared on the 15th Congress – RA 10515. The word “internet” is not even mention in the current 16th Congress or the past 14th and 13th Congress.
On the NTC website, it only appeared on their memorandum for 2015 – Memorandum Circular (MC) Numbers 03-07-2015 (Anti-Child Pornography) and 07-08-2015 (Rules on the Measurement of Fixed Broadband/Internet Access Service (speed).
I can’t believe that the Senators running for the Vice President post (Escudero, Marcos, Cayetano, Honasan and Trillanes) discussed in details their plan for improving the education system in the country without even mentioning the improvement on our current Internet speed.
Education these days are already digital. Several Filipino students would learn a lot if our current Internet speed and coverage is also improved.
For the Presidential Candidates, at least Senator Miriam Santiago authored the Cybercrime Act of 2012.
I’m beginning to think how fast is the Internet connection of these candidates at home that they don’t even bother championing on improving the current status of #SlowInternetPH.
I’m much more disappointed with the NTC whose mandate, vision and mission doesn’t even include the word “internet”. No mention of “regulating and improving the Internet service in the country”.
So how can we expect improvement to our current poor internet service if our lawmakers and the government body that govern the Internet Service Providers doesn’t even mention it.
On the contrary, when I searched the word “Internet” on the Official Gazette, at least it showed me a result about the Information and Communications Technology Office (ICT) under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), which I never heard before. The ICT launched the program “Internet For All, No Juan Left Behind” in June 2015. I also learned that “THE MONTH OF JUNE 2008 AND EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER AS “NATIONAL INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT)” MONTH”.
We have a very long way to go in improving our poor Internet service in the country. It starts with educating ourselves with the current laws related to the Internet in the country, the government agencies regulating our ISPs and public participation on forums and social media in raising awareness about #SlowInternetPH.
