Section 2Sec./Art. 2

Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the role of digital inclusivity in nation-building and the necessity of narrowing the digital divide in the country through the development of data transmission infrastructure and removal of barriers to competition in data transmission services.

The State hereby adopts a policy to promote, develop, and sustain new communication technologies and the best quality of data transmission services at an affordable cost and at standards consistent with the needs and aspirations of the concerns, shall protect public interest by implementing measures to ensure reliable and affordable universal internet access, especially in critical areas such as e-governance and basic service delivery, education. health, trade, finance, disaster preparedness, and public safety.

The State shall pursue an open-access policy providing an accessible and competitive environment to all qualified participants in all segments of the data transmission network, and encouraging investments in the digital infrastructure for the development of reliable and affordable data transmission networks, comparable to the best in the world. The State shall promote data transmission infrastructure sharing and co-location to eliminate the uneconomic duplication of these facilities in the data transmission sector.

The State shall ensure efficient and transparent management of the radio frequency spectrum to optimize its utilization and prevent monopolistic control, thereby fostering fair competition and equitable access to data transmission services for all Filipino citizens.