PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom on Tuesday voiced their opposition to the “Konektadong Pinoy Bill,” which they said threatens national cybersecurity and promotes uneven competition.
“We’re hoping that it will not be signed into law by the president,” PLDT senior vice president, chief legal counsel and corporate secretary Marilyn Victorio-Aquino told reporters following the company’s first-half financial briefing.
“But if it is, then we may have the option to go to the bigger court and raise the issue of constitutionality,” she said.
Globe Telecom, a unit of the Ayala Group, also urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to return the bill to Congress for further refinement. The company said that while it supports the bill’s intent to make internet access more affordable and widely available, this vision can only be achieved with a “level playing field.”
“We are advocating for universal access to affordable and reliable internet, but we believe this bill needs further study and reform,” said Globe general counsel Froilan Castelo.
“We hope the President understands the concerns raised by many in the industry,” he said.
Castelo cited “regulatory imbalance, uneven competition, and the lack of transparency and oversight for new players” as key concerns.
Victorio-Aquino of PLDT said the bill covers more than one subject. She said the legislation provides “so much benefits which are not being given to the telcos,” creating “discrimination against the telcos.”
She also raised cybersecurity concerns, saying “it opens the country to some security pressures … because within the first two years of the open access, the data service providers can access our assets without any cyber security clearance.”
Victorio-Aquino confirmed that both Smart and PLDT would challenge the bill due to its impact on their operations. She said they had already submitted their comments to the Office of the Deputy Secretary for Legal Affairs of Malacanang, raising “this issue of constitutionality and our position that the president should veto the bill.”
President Marcos has until Aug. 24 to sign the Konektadong Pinoy Bill, which was officially sent to him on July 24, 2025. The bill has been described as a “game-changer” that would improve competition and make internet services more affordable for millions of Filipinos.
