Press Release
September 1, 2022

Gatchalian refiles bill promoting satellite-based technologies for internet connectivity

Senator Win Gatchalian has refiled a bill that seeks to improve internet access in the country by expanding the existing digital infrastructure through the use of satellite-based technologies.

Under Senate Bill No. 814 or the Satellite-Based Technologies for Internet Connectivity Act of 2022, which Gatchalian originally filed in the 18th Congress, the government shall promote the use and development of satellite services, especially in critical areas to ensure universal access to the internet to support e-government and the delivery of basic services, education, health, trade, finance, disaster preparedness, and public safety.

Gatchalian said the use of digital technologies in the Philippines is still below its potential as 45% of Filipino citizens and 74% of public schools remain unconnected, according to the 2019 paper from The Asia Foundation. The Ookla Speedtest Global Index Report, meanwhile, said the country's average download speed for fixed broadband connections in the first quarter of 2022 was only 52.16 megabytes per second (Mbps) compared to the global average of 113.25 Mbps as of September 2021.

Through satellite-based technology, the Internet Service Provider ISP) sends fiber internet signal to a satellite in space. The satellite dish is connected to the modem of the user, which then connects the user to the internet.

The proposed measure of Gatchalian allows direct access by Value-Added Service (VAS) Providers and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to all satellite systems to promote the expansion of satellite-based networks. It also allows government organizations, public and non-profit private institutions, volunteer organizations engaged in education, health, finance, agriculture, environmental management, climate change management, disaster preparedness, and crisis response to own and operate satellite-based technology in order to aid and augment their activities.

To aid in disaster preparedness and emergency response, each local government unit (LGU) shall be required to set up a satellite-powered communication tool such as satellite phones and satellite-powered portable cell sites, among others.

The bill also broadens the mandate of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to include responsibilities such as the issuance of satellite policies and regulatory and administrative supervision over the ISPs and VAS.

"Batay sa naging karanasan natin nitong panahon ng pandemya, nakita natin kung gaano kahalagang maabot ng internet ang bawat isa sa ating mga kababayan. Kaya naman isusulong natin ang paggamit ng satellite-based technology upang mapadali ang pag-abot sa mga lugar na hindi pa konektado sa internet," said Gatchalian.

The proposed measure also mandates the DICT to identify areas that are unserved and underserved by traditional broadband network operators and where the use of satellite-based internet can be maximized, he added


Satellite-based technologies para sa internet connectivity inihain ni Gatchalian

Upang matiyak na magiging konektado ang buong bansa sa internet, muling inihain ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang isang panukalang batas na layong palawigin ang kasalukuyang digital infrastructure ng bansa sa pamamagitan ng satellite-based technologies.

Sa ilalim ng Senate Bill No. 814 o ang Satellite-Based Technologies for Internet Connectivity Act of 2022 na unang inihain ni Gatchalian noong 18th Congress, isusulong ng pamahalaan ang paggamit at pag-develop sa mga satellite services upang matiyak ang universal access sa internet. Itinuturing na malaking tulong ito sa e-government at sa paghahatid ng mga pangunahing serbisyo, kabilang ang edukasyon, kalusugan, kalakalan, pananalapi o pinansiya, kahandaan sa kalamidad, at kaligtasan ng publiko.

Ayon kay Gatchalian, hindi pa naaabot ng Pilipinas ang potensyal nito pagdating sa digital technology, lalo na't wala pang kalahati (45%) ng mga Pilipino at pitumpu't apat (74) na porsyento ng mga pampublikong paaralan ang hindi pa konektado sa internet, batay sa isang pag-aaral ng The Asia Foundation noong 2019. Ayon sa Ookla Speedtest Global Index Report, ang average download speed para sa mga fixed broadband connection sa unang quarter ng 2022 ay 52.16 megabytes per second (Mbps), di hamak na mababa kung ihahambing sa global average na 113.25 Mbps buhat noong Setyembre 2021.

Ipinaliwanag ng senador na sa pamamagitan ng satellite-based technology, nagpapadala ang Internet Service Provider (ISP) ng fiber internet signal sa satellite sa kalawakan. Ang satellite dish ay konektado sa modem ng user upang makakonekta at makagamit ito ng internet.

Pinapayagan ng panukalang batas ni Gatchalian ang direct access ng mga Value-Added Service (VAS) Providers at mga Internet Service Providers (ISPs) sa lahat ng mga satellite systems upang mapalawig ang mga satellite-based networks. Pinapahintulutan din ng naturang panukala ang mga government organizations, public at non-profit private institutions, at mga volunteer organizations na may kinalaman sa edukasyon, kalusugan, pananalapi, agrikultura, environmental management, climate change management, kahandaan sa sakuna, at pagtugon sa mga krisis upang magpatakbo ng satellite-based technology.

Para naman makatulong sa pagresponde sa mga kalamidad, magiging mandato sa mga local government unit na maglagay ng mga satellite-powered na mga kagamitan para sa komunikasyon tulad ng satellite phones, satellite-powered portable cell sites, at iba pa.

Pinapalawig din ng panukalang batas ang mandato ng Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). Mapapabilang sa mga responsibilidad ng ahensya ang pagbalangkas ng mga satellite policies pati na rin ang regulatory at administrative supervision sa mga ISPs at VAS.

"Batay sa naging karanasan natin nitong panahon ng pandemya, nakita natin kung gaano kahalagang maabot ng internet ang bawat isa sa ating mga kababayan. Kaya naman isusulong natin ang paggamit ng satellite-based technology upang mapadali ang pag-abot sa mga lugar na hindi pa konektado sa internet," ani Gatchalian.

Magiging bahagi rin ng mandato ng DICT ang pagtukoy sa mga lugar na itinuturing na unserved at underserved ng mga tradisyonal na broadband network operators, at kung saan maaaring magamit nang husto ang satellite-based internet, dagdag ng senador.

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