Tulfo

Stronger internet security, better Wi-Fi accessibility pushed

January 15, 2025 Camille P. Balagtas 113 views

SENATORS Raffy Tulfo and Grace Poe emphasized the need for stronger internet security and improved accessibility during the Committee on Public Services hearing on Wednesday.

Both lawmakers raised pressing issues regarding public Wi-Fi security, internet speed, and infrastructure challenges in the country.

Tulfo expressed concerns over hacking incidents reported by the public after connecting to free Wi-Fi in public places such as shopping malls and restaurants. He called on the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to ensure the safety of users.

Tulfo said the hacking in various malls is alarming as ge urged all proper government agencies to do the necessary actions to avoid similar incident in the future.

“In today’s hearing, we will discuss certain issues emanating from complaint and concern we received from the public,” Tulfo said. “What is the status of free public Wi-Fi, how secure it is, why hacking is happening and what the government is doing to protect the public? Is there no protection for the public from hackers of free Wi-Fi in malls?”

As the presiding officer of the hearing, Tulfo also tackled proposed measures, including the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of the Philippines, Roll-Over Internet Data Act, and Better Internet Act.

Poe, on the other hand, stressed the importance of internet access as a basic human right and its role in national development.

“It is a basic human right now to have an internet access. In fact, the development of a country is also hinged on its ability to be able to access internet and digital services,” she said. “If we just improve our signal we can harness this to empower our countrymen.”

Poe pointed out that the Philippines ranks 56th out of 169 countries with poor internet service, despite Filipinos being among the most active social media users. She attributed the issue to the insufficient number of cell towers, citing that the Philippines has only 23,000 compared to Vietnam’s 90,000 and Bangladesh’s 30,000. She also noted the lengthy and complex process of securing permits for building cell towers as a major obstacle.

The senators urged the DICT and other relevant agencies to prioritize the safety, speed, and affordability of internet services to empower Filipinos and protect their digital rights.