Consumer advocacy group CitizenWatch Philippines urged lawmakers to eliminate lease requirements for broadband connectivity equipment, calling the current practice a major barrier to universal internet access.
CitizenWatch Philippines co-convenor Tim Abejo said the internet is now as indispensable as electricity and water and should be treated as an essential utility in both public and private developments.
“The digital economy demands seamless, reliable connectivity. Yet, property developers continue to impose exorbitant lease fees on telecommunications providers, driving up costs that ultimately burden consumers,” Abejo said. “This has to stop. Internet connectivity is not a luxury—it is a necessity.”
CitizenWatch Philippines is supporting the amendment of the National Building Code of the Philippines, which has remained unchanged since 1977. The organization argues that the outdated law fails to recognize broadband connectivity as a utility that should be accorded the same stature in the Building Code as power and water utilities.
“We cannot afford to let a law passed nearly half a century ago dictate the development of our digital infrastructure. Today, broadband internet connectivity is the backbone of communication, business, education, and essential services,” Abejo said.
He said telecommunications and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are being charged substantial fees—sometimes amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos annually—by property developers just to install fiber optic cables and other broadband infrastructure in residential and commercial properties.
These costs directly translate to higher internet fees for consumers and slow down the expansion of broadband services across the country.
“This has become an income-generating scheme at the expense of every Filipino who depends on the internet for work, education, and daily life. If we allow these excessive lease payments to continue, we are essentially blocking access to economic and social opportunities for millions of Filipinos,” Abejo said.
He said abolishing lease fees on broadband infrastructure would accelerate network expansion, particularly in underserved and remote areas.
“With a more supportive policy environment, telcos can redirect their resources toward improving last-mile connectivity instead of paying unnecessary overhead costs.”