POE: NO ONE MUST BE OFFLINE AND LEFT BEHIND AMID PANDEMIC

With the global spread of COVID-19, the strict confinement of Filipinos in their homes offers lessons about the importance of being online and the urgency of bridging the gap for those who do not have internet access, Sen. Grace Poe said (Sa gitna ng paglaganap ng COVID-19 sa buong mundo, ang mahigpit na pananatili sa mga tahanan upang makaiwas sa sakit ay nagbigay-diin sa kahalagahan ng pagiging online at pagkakaroon ng internet access ng bawat Pilipino, saad ni Sen. Grace Poe).

The Senate Committee on Public Services, which Poe heads, will conduct an online hearing on Wednesday, July 1 at 1:30 p.m. to determine the state of internet connectivity in the country affecting all sectors and the efforts of government and private sector to make the web for everyone (Magsasagawa ang Senate Committee on Public Services, na pinamumunuan ni Poe, ng isang online hearing sa Miyerkules, ika-1 ng Hulyo 2020, 1:30 ng hapon, hinggil sa estado ng konektibidad sa bansa na may epekto sa lahat ng sektor, at ang pagsisikap ng gobyerno at pribadong sektor na gawing para sa lahat ang internet).

"The problem in connectivity looms large and we can see how the country is grappling to be online (Malaki ang problema natin sa konektibidad sa gitna ng ating pagkukumahog na maging online)," Poe said.

Officials from the Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Telecommunications Commission, other concerned government agencies, telcos, internet providers and other affected sectors are expected to attend the hearing (Inaasahang dadalo sa pagdinig ang mga opisyal ng Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Telecommunications Commission, iba pang ahensya ng gobyerno, mga major telco, internet provider at apektadong sektor).

"Big, bold steps are needed in the telecoms industry to give the Filipinos reliable and fast connection (Kailangan nating humabol at kumilos nang agaran upang mabigyan ang ating mga kababayan ng mabilis at maaasahang internet)," she said.

"We have seen how access to the internet has been put on similar footing as other basic services during this pandemic, becoming a lifesaver for many people around the world (Nakita natin kung paanong ang internet access ay naihanay katapat ng ating mga pangunahing pangangailangan at naging instrumento sa pagliligtas ng maraming buhay sa pandemya)," Poe stressed.

Poe underscored that government must lead the way to encourage investments in network infrastructure to boost competition, improve service and bring down costs for users (Ayon sa senadora, dapat pangunahan ng gobyerno ang pagtiyak ng pamumuhunan sa mga kinakailangang imprastraktura para magkaroon ng kompetisyon, at mapamura at mapabilis ang serbisyo ng mga telco).

The hearing will tackle Senate Resolution No. 435 that seeks legislative inquiry on availability and accessibility of cell sites providing bandwidth for internet connectivity across the country and Senate Bill No. 471 that proposes to require internet service providers to deliver a minimum standard for internet connection speed (Tatalakayin sa pagdinig ng komite ni Poe ang Senate Resolution 435 at Senate Bill 471 ukol sa konektibidad ng bansa).

"No one must be offline and left behind amid the pandemic (Walang dapat maiwang offline sa gitna ng pandemya)," Poe stressed.

Poe has also earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 456 that urges the Executive department to provide internet allowance to public school elementary and high school teachers for the duration of the online class (Nauna na ring inihain ng senadora ang Senate Resolution 456 na humihimok sa Ehekutibo na magbigay ng internet allowance sa mga guro sa pampublikong paaralan sa gitna ng online na pagsasagawa ng mga klase).