The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) laid down necessary steps to uplift the country’s internet infrastructure and attain its digitalization goals in its April 19 meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the fifth interface between the Chief Executive and the private sector body. 

 Sabin Aboitiz, PSAC Lead Convenor and Aboitiz Group President and CEO, presided over the meeting alongside Henry Aguda, President and CEO of UnionDigital Bank and leader of PSAC’s digital infrastructure sector. Joining them were Ernest Cu, President and CEO of Globe, and Al Panlilio, former President and CEO of PLDT-Smart.

 “By aligning the private sector's strengths with the government's supportive mechanisms, we are setting the stage for a rapid and sustainable enhancement of our nation’s connectivity,” Aboitiz remarked.

The council outlined strategic steps to address urgent needs identified in the recent World Bank report that placed the Philippines at the lower end of the spectrum in the 2023 International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ICT Development Index.

During his "State of the Internet" presentation, Cu shared PSAC’s proposed legislative and policy measures to support the digital infrastructure sector. These measures include streamlining the permitting process, energizing telco towers, rationalizing spectrum user fees, and amending the national building code to exempt telco and ICT facilities from lease fees in buildings and other developments. 

“Telco and the internet must be widespread, robust, and meaningful, enabling full participation in the digital economy. Currently, policy gaps hinder expansion into rural and underserved areas,” said Cu.