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Internet is key: Sen. Robinhood C. Padilla on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 stresses the importance of fast and reliable internet for the country's workers, especially those who rely on it for income. During the Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development's discussion on bills seeking to protect and ensure the welfare of freelancers and workers in the informal economy, Padilla asked about the state of internet connectivity in the country as he lamented the problems faced by online businesses and their employees. "Because these jobs depend on internet...To raise their income, we should improve internet quality," Padilla said in Filipino. In response, Department of Information and Communications (DICT) Assistant Sec. Jeffrey Ian Dy said the country has seen the improvement of internet speeds since the rollout of the government's National Broadband Plan. Dy also reported that Elon Musk's internet satellite project Starlink is expected to begin operations as a new player in the Philippines' telecommunication industry by mid-2023. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)