KBP Warns That Connectivity Reform Must Not Disrupt Free Broadcasting

When tremors struck parts of Mindanao and the Visayas in recent weeks, power lines failed, phone signals dropped, and mobile data slowed.

As the Philippines embraces digital transformation, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) warns that connectivity reforms must not silence the country’s most reliable lifeline — free radio and television. In times of disaster, when cell networks fail, the airwaves keep the nation informed. (Photo: Philippine Army Facebook)

Yet one medium remained dependable — free radio and television. In moments when the internet falters, Filipinos still rely on broadcast signals for information, evacuation guidance, and reassurance.

This enduring reliability is what the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) seeks to safeguard as the government drafts the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 12234, the Open Access in Data Transmission Act or the Konektadong Pinoy Law.

The law, enacted earlier this year, seeks to open the data transmission sector to new players by removing the congressional franchise requirement. It aims to expand connectivity, spur competition, and lower barriers to entry.

While the objective supports the government’s drive for digital inclusion, broadcasters are concerned that vague provisions could unintentionally weaken the public’s access to free radio and television, particularly during disasters when these platforms serve as lifelines.

In a position paper submitted to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the KBP asked regulators to clearly distinguish broadcasting from data transmission.

The group emphasized that radio and television operate under a constitutional framework requiring Filipino ownership and congressional oversight.

It also reminded the government that broadcast frequencies are public resources granted for public service, not for commercial speculation.

KBP President Noel C. Galvez reiterated that message in a recent statement. “The public relies on broadcasting for news, information, and education, especially in times of disaster,” he said.

“Its continued accessibility and integrity must be preserved. Any ambiguity in policies that affect broadcast frequencies could threaten both the industry’s stability and the people’s right to free and reliable service.”

The group’s main concern lies in the law’s authority for the DICT to review or recall spectrum frequencies in pursuit of open access. 

Without clear exclusions, the KBP warns that such powers could be interpreted to include broadcasting. That possibility, it said, could disrupt radio and television operations nationwide.

For a country that faces dozens of typhoons, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes each year, uncertainty over broadcast continuity could place communities at serious risk.

Broadcasters agree that better connectivity is vital for development but maintain that it should not compromise reliability. One regional station noted that during the recent earthquakes, local radio was often the first to return on air in affected areas.

If broadcast frequencies were ever reassigned or suspended under unclear rules, residents in those towns would lose their fastest channel to government advisories and emergency coordination.

In its submission, the KBP proposed three safeguards for inclusion in the implementing rules. The first is the exclusion of broadcasting from the law’s scope.

The second is the protection of broadcast frequencies from recall or reallocation under data transmission policies. The third is formal consultation with broadcasters in all future discussions on spectrum management.

Both the DICT and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) are still finalizing the rules.

Industry groups, however, continue to remind them that true connectivity is measured not only by internet speed but by the stability and inclusiveness of communication.

Even in an era dominated by streaming and social media, free radio and television remain the most reliable bridge between government and citizens.

They reach the poorest households, the remotest barangays, and the most isolated disaster zones. When power fails, a battery-operated radio can still connect a community to the rest of the nation.

As the Philippines moves deeper into its digital transformation, policymakers must ensure that innovation does not come at the expense of public service. The goal is progress that strengthens connection, not one that silences the country’s oldest and most trusted lifeline. #GSU