The following proposed legislations and other regulatory and policy reforms shall be pursued:
a. Establish the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) (via the "DICT Bill").The DICT shall be established to coordinate and implement the national ICT development agenda, policies, programs and projects. Transforming the CICT into the DICT should result in a thorough implementation of the national e-strategies cutting across other critical sectors such as e-education and e-health, and the country's representation in international and regional ICT bodies.
b. Strengthening of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) through the "NTC Reorganization Bill". The NTC shall be strengthened by making its charter responsive to technological and market changes.
It will also be strengthened by setting fixed terms for qualified members of the collegial body, vesting each member with authority independent of any political and personal influence during their term of office. The body's fiscal autonomy in the implementation of sector plans and programs shall also be secured.
c. Competition Policy for the ICT Sector. A competitive market is said to be the most efficient mechanism for developing a modern, ubiquitous, and affordable information infrastructure. A competition policy framework for the ICT Sector shall be developed under the leadership of CICT and with the full participation and support of the sector stakeholders. This framework can be used to correct the flaws in the regulatory environment that restrain competition and prevent markets from functioning efficiently.
This framework, moreover, will guide future initiatives and decisions of both the regulator and the private sector as they contemplate competition-related issues. It will also guide the NTC in the exercise of its regulatory functions and as it attempts to balance various public goals, including achieving universal service by making affordable ICT services available to all citizens, ensuring that consumers have access to high-quality products and services, and preventing the exercise of undue market power by firms.
d. Reassessment of Republic Act No. 7925 or the "Public Telecommunications Policy Act of the Philippines, 1995". While RA 7925, which currently governs the ICT sector, is rightly credited with fostering competition and accelerating investments in the sector, it has become superannuated owing to new technologies (such as the Internet and Voice over Internet Protocol) and business models that were not anticipated at the time the law was passed. Other laws are similarly outdated. The Radio Law (RA 3846), for example, constrains the NTC in the issuance of licenses and assignment of radio spectra that could otherwise help bridge the last mile in rural and unserved areas. There is also a need to revisit pre-Internet laws that, in the face of rapid and continuing technological change, now handicaps the NTC as it struggles to respond to the sector's needs and the public demand for competitively priced and a wider choice of ICT goods and services.
e. Convergence Bill / Information and Communications Policy Act. The passage of a Convergence bill must be pursued in order to rationalize all pertinent laws; provide a technology-neutral legal basis and tool to encourage investment into the ICT sector and the deployment of infrastructure and services to the rural and unserved areas; permit the continued development of new technlogies; and criminalize cable theft, including theft of cable TV signals and other infrastructure.
f. Frequency Spectrum Management. There is a need for greater efficiency and transparency in spectrum regulation and allocation to better aid the private sector efforts in providing ICT infrastructure and services, particularly in unserved and underserved areas. This would also help facilitate allocating frequencies for players that would be interested in providing broadband (e.g., WiMAX) and other wireless technologies in unserved communities.
g. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Reform. A strong and demonstrated commitment to protect Intellectual Property Rights will enhance national competitiveness and encourage the development of local innovations and technologies. Efforts shall be undertaken to enhance protection for intellectual property thru antipiracy campaigns and amendments to the Copyright Law and the IP code. Such laws and campaigns will also provide for parallel support and initiatives to ensure universal access to and deployment of new technologies, applications and knowledge.
h. Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Broadcasting switchover. Subsequent to the recent adoption of the ISDB-T standard for the country, the government, in coordination with the broadcast industry and concerned stakeholders, will embark on DTT broadcasting migration, guided by the issuance of the implementing rules and regulations for the digital switchover. The digital transition is expected to help facilitate growth in the broadcast sector through improved quality of television broadcast systems and programming, as well as for a more efficient utilization of the broadcast frequency spectrum.
i. "Green ICT" Policies. The adoption of Green IT as a technology will reduce the ill-effects of unregulated ICT particularly to human health and the environment. This includes exploring how ICT applications can be used in such a way as to conserve and optimize energy use. For instance, it uses computers that require lower power input thereby producing less radiation to the user and to the environment. Green IT also deals with the proper disposal of obsolete computers and IT equipment, and pushes for a paperless society.
Thus, crafting appropriate guidelines and policies to address the negative impacts of ICT infrastructures will be pursued, addressing appropriate disposal of ICT equipment, among others.
To achieve increased transparency, efficiency and trust in Government through enhancement of e-government systems
E-Government systems serve as important mechanisms for increased transparency, efficiency and trust in government. Thus, the following will be pursued: