AmCham backs House measure on free wi-fi

MANILA, Philippines - The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc. (AmCham) supports a proposed measure seeking to provide free public wireless Internet accessibility as such will help improve the country’s competitiveness.

In a letter to Rizal Representative Joel Roy Duavit, chairman of the committee on information and communications technology at the House of Representatives dated Feb. 17, the AmCham said the group backs House Bill 1550 which seeks to provide free public wireless Internet accessibility in National Government offices, municipal halls and provincial capitols, state universities and colleges, public parks and plazas, public hospitals and public transportation terminals, the bill was filed by Kabataan Party List Representative Terry Ridon.

The AmCham noted that House Bill 1550 is consistent with the recommendations of the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) contained in the Arangkada, which aims to promote inclusive growth.

In particular, the JFC’s recommendation is to provide free wi-fi access in crowded urban areas.

As wireless Internet service is increasingly commercially available in most Philippine cities at various hot spots, the AmCham said a law that would make free wireless Internet access available at national high schools and in densely populated urban areas would encourage greater use by Filipinos of new mobile technologies.

“Higher Internet penetration will bring a wealth of benefits to Filipinos and efficiencies for the economy, reducing business costs and helping the economy to become more competitive and meet its Millennium Development Goals,” the group said.

Mobile phones and computers are now widely used in developed countries and such gadgets are changing the way consumers acquire information and make transactions.

The group said providing wireless Internet access would help make the country more competitive.

“Investing in such infrastructure is one of the most important actions in the near-term to increase Philippine competitiveness and move towards a knowledge-based service economy,” it said.

Aside from the AmCham, the JFC’s other core members are the Australian-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese and Korean foreign chambers as well as the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters.

Launched in 2010, the Arangkada’s recommendations are intended to make the economy move twice as fast through the creation of $75 billion worth of new foreign investments, 10 million jobs and over P1 trillion in revenue within the decade.

The recommendations cover seven sectors: agribusiness, business process outsourcing, creative industries, infrastructure, manufacturing and logistics, mining, and tourism, medical travel and retirement.