Lapid wants internet infra integrated with gov’t road projects

Sen. Manuel “Lito” Lapid. Screen grab / Senate PRIB file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Lito Lapid has filed a bill that would integrate the construction of internet infrastructures with all existing government road projects that use the same right-of-way to reduce excavations for the laying down of cables, wires and similar facilities.

Senate Bill No. 1990 seeks to establish an internet infrastructure integration program in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The program, according to Lapid, is designed to reduce the cost and accelerate the deployment of internet connectivity and minimize the number and scale of repeated excavations for the maintenance of internet infrastructure in roads.

“Batid natin ang kahalagahan ng internet lalo sa mga panahong ito. Sa halos lahat ng sektor ay mahalagang may internet connectivity ang ating mga kababayan lalo sa aspeto ng edukasyon, negosyo, komunikasyon at sa maraming uri ng trabaho,” Lapid said in a statement Thursday.

(We know the importance of the internet especially during these times. In almost all sectors, it is important that our countrymen have internet connectivity, especially in the aspects of education, business, communication and in many types of work.)

“Dapat lang na ang ating gobyerno ay manguna sa pagbuo ng polisiya at mga paraan para masiguro na mas magiging madali ang access ng ating mga kababayan sa internet sa pamamagitan ng pagtatayo ng maraming imprastraktura,” he added.

(It’s only right that our government will take the lead in developing policies and ways to ensure that our countrymen can have easier access to the internet by building more infrastructure.)

Under the measure, the DPWH will be mandated to identify existing and planned road infrastructure projects like farm-to-market roads, local and national roads, bridges, road widening and road maintenance which can be utilized for the integration of internet infrastructure such as fiber-optic cable installation.

Lapid said he envisions this program as an efficient and cost-saving way of providing internet connectivity particularly to unserved and underserved areas.

Through the integration of internet infrastructure, installation may happen simultaneously or side-by-side with the road construction of the DPWH, he noted.

Under the bill, the DPWH, in coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the National Telecommunications Commission, is required to establish a system for the notification, coordination and participation of broadband providers, internet service providers and telecommunication companies in this program.

The coordination will be subject to the payment of reasonable fees and other terms and conditions that the DPWH deems necessary and appropriate.

“Sa pamamagitan ng isinusulong nating Internet Infrastructure Integration Act ay masisiguro natin na  bukod sa mga mga kalsada na bubuuin sa pangunguna ng ating gobyerno, kasabay nito ang pagtatayo din ng mga daan o highway para sa internet connectivity sa ating bansa,” Lapid went on.

(Through the Internet Infrastructure Integration Act, we can ensure that apart from the roads that will be built under the leadership of our government, we will also build roads or highways for internet connectivity in our country at the same time.)

“Sa pamamagitan din nito, hindi na mahuhuli sa tinatawag na digital age ang Pilipinas,” he added.

(Also through this, the Philippines will no longer be left behind in the so-called digital age.) Zac Sarao, INQUIRER.net trainee