Senator Juan "Edgardo" Sonny Angara believes that much more has to be done to improve internet connection in the Philippines and be at par with other countries.
(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Angara said "there should be decisive steps taken to improve the speed, reach and affordability" of internet services even as their former colleague in Senate and now Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Gregorio Honasan II declared that the country's current standing is "not so bad".
"I think we have to be better so we can be like Japan and Singapore and Hong Kong," he said in a text message.
The senator said the DICT's National Broadband Program (NBP) "is a step in the right direction towards these goals."
The NBP calls for the establishment and improvement of existing ICT broadband infrastructure to enhance the country's internet connectivity.
During a House hearing on their proposed 2021 budget, Honasan expressed his belief that the country is still faring well in terms of internet speed.
"Without going into figures, we are not doing too badly. Kaya lang po, naiintindihan natin na napakahirap nito ipaliwanag sa taong bayan (We understand that this is difficult to explain to the public). Sila pumapalo ng 55 Mbps, tayo naglalaro pa rin sa 3 and 7 Mbps pero hindi na po ito masama (Other countries have 55 Mbps, and while we have an internet speed between 3 and 7 Mbps but this is not so bad)," Honasan aid.
He was supported by Assistant Secretary Emmanuel Caintic who said the Philippine internet speed could reach 25.07 Mbps, from 2016's maximum speed of 7.91 Mbps. For mobile services, he said the average internet speed is currently at 6.95 Mbps.
Honasan's statements, however, did not sit well with netizens who complained about the poor internet speed in the country.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, meanwhile, believed Honasan was only being conservative about his assessments.
"He was being conservative. He could not say it was good but also not say really bad," he said of his friend.