Review sought for free internet program in PH

State-run think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) has called for a review of the government’s free public internet program to ensure its long-term sustainability.

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In an Aug. 25 comment on Republic Act (RA) No. 10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, PIDS senior research fellow Ramonette B. Serafica and research specialist Queen Cel A. Oren suggested that possible amendments to this law could be useful in addressing implementation issues raised in Sen. Bam Aquino’s recent privilege speech titled “Internet Koneksyon para sa Edukasyon.”

PIDS noted that RA 10929 mandates the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to submit an annual report detailing the program’s status and recommending policies to ensure its effective implementation.

Also, the law requires the DICT to gather, monitor, and publish data on the cost, performance, service quality, and compliance with minimum standards for free public internet access points.