Poe decries lack of communications infrastructure

MANILA, Philippines — Public officials should be held liable for their failure to immediately address the delay in the construction of much-needed telecommunication infrastructures nationwide, Sen. Grace Poe said on Sunday.

“To deny our people their basic right to connectivity at this crucial period is sheer neglect and dereliction of duty,” Poe said.

She issued the statement after photos of public school teachers camping out along a national highway and trekking the mountains just to get internet connection went viral in social media.

“Our teachers and students should no longer have to walk up the mountains or stay on the side of the highways just to get [internet] signal,” she said.

—Marlon Ramos