By Zaldy De Layola
MANILA – A group of lawmakers is pushing for a congressional inquiry into “expensive, slow and inaccessible” internet services in the country.
Despite technological advances, the country is lagging behind its neighbors in Asia in terms of cost-efficient, fast, and accessible internet services, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said in a news release Sunday.
“The necessary laws are in place, the newest of which is Konektadong Pinoy Act. But something is not right. We need internet in many aspects of our life. Yet, half of Pinoys are not konektado (connected),” Romualdez said.
Deputy Speakers David Suarez of Quezon and Jay Khonghun of Zambales earlier filed House Resolution (HR) No. 823, calling on the Committee on Information and Communications Technology to “conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the reliability, quality, affordability and consumer remedies relating to internet and data transmission services in the country.”
“The access to reliable, affordable and high-quality internet and data transmission services has become essential to productivity-led growth and the delivery of critical public and private services, including education, healthcare, financial inclusion, disaster resilience and commerce,” Romualdez said.
Suarez said the House of Representatives’ policy research has shown that only 48.8 percent of households have access to the internet at home in 2024, which meant that more than half remained “unconnected and/or underserved.”
“The same research also found that affordability was a binding barrier, with a majority of offline households citing high subscription cost as a principal reason for not having internet access at home,” Suarez said.
In terms of broadband speed and cost, Khonghun cited data from the Department of Information and Technology, which showed that as of March 2025, the Philippines ranked 53rd out of 154 countries in speed.
The Philippine Institute for Development Studies reported that among the ASEAN-5, the Philippines had the costliest monthly internet at USD44.93 (about PHP2,678) and placed 32nd globally in terms of cost.
ASEAN-5 refers to the five original founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations — Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
“The country’s internet connectivity continues to lag behind its regional peers in terms of affordability, speed and access,” Khonghun said.
The lawmakers said students from low-income households are disproportionately affected by inadequate connectivity, resulting in barriers to learning, digital exclusion and unequal educational outcomes. (PNA)
