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SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 — The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has called for the expedited passage of the Konektadong Pinoy Bill, also known as the Open Access in Data Transmission Bill, during the sixth Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting held on September 25. This initiative aligns with the government’s commitment to ensuring fast, reliable, and affordable internet access for all Filipinos.

NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan emphasized the bill’s significance, stating, “The Konektadong Pinoy Bill is crucial to the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, as it will usher advancements across various sectors, including ICT, education, health, and agriculture.”

[RELATED: NEDA PUSHES FOR ‘KONEKTADONG PINOY BILL’ TO ADVANCE PH INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE]

 

Chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the LEDAC previously identified the Konektadong Pinoy Bill as a priority within the Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) for passage before the end of the 19th Congress. The bill has already received approval from the House of Representatives and is currently awaiting plenary deliberation in the Senate.

Senate Bill 2699, or the Konektadong Pinoy Bill, aims to enhance market accessibility, upgrade both physical and digital infrastructure, and facilitate full participation of individuals and businesses in the digital economy, thereby providing affordable internet access to every Filipino.

During the meeting, Senate President Francis G. Escudero and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez provided updates on the status of priority CLA bills. Since the fifth LEDAC meeting on June 25, 2024, two of the 28 priority CLA bills—the New Government Procurement Act and the Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act—have been signed into law by the President.

Additionally, two other measures approved by Congress, the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act and the VAT on Digital Services Bill, await the President’s signature.

Six bills are next in line for approval of the President, including:

  • Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program Act
  • Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act
  • Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Act
  • Philippine Maritime Zones Act
  • Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act
  • Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act

Remaining priority CLA bills include:

  • Blue Economy Act
  • Amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law
  • Amendments to the Universal Health Care Act
  • Amendments to the Right-of-Way Act
  • Rationalization of the Mining Fiscal Regime
  • E-Government Act / E-Governance Act
  • Department of Water Resources
  • Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA)
  • Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Act
  • Unified System of Separation, Retirement, and Pension of Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP)
  • Waste-to-Energy Bill
  • Amendments to the Agrarian Reform Law
  • Reforms to Philippine Capital Markets
  • Excise Tax on Single-Use Plastics
  • Amendments to the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act
  • New Government Auditing Code
  • Philippine Immigration Act

The LEDAC, comprising representatives from the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Cabinet, serves as a high-level advisory body that sets the government’s legislative priorities, with NEDA acting as the Council’s Secretariat.

 

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