Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ___________ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. JOSE “BONG” J. TEVES, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Two years in to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Filipinos still heavily rely on internet 
connectivity for work and or education through the work-from-home or online learning setup. 
With the rising COVID-19 positivity rate again, a large number of universities and schools will 
continue to adopt the online learning setup for the academic year 2022-2023. 
Unfortunately, internet access seems to be still restrictive for an ordinary Filipino 
household due to its limited coverage and expensive plans. Some cannot simply afford to 
purchase and rely on the relatively expensive prepaid internet packages available. According 
to former Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecreatry Rio, 
only 20% of the total households in the country are connected to the internet compared to 
Malaysia’s 90% and Singapore’s 100% connectivity. 
Telecommunications companies (telcos) are not entirely to be blamed for the drawback. 
The government regulation is partly to be responsible due to the charging of expensive 
spectrum user’s fee SUF using only wi-fi connection; when in fact, the government should only 
be charging SUF to telcos using exclusively licensed frequency or spectrum granted by the 
government.  
July 20, 2022
2:08 am
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Through the passage of this bill, we can expect that our country’s 20% connectivity rate 
will increase because it will lower the cost of telecommunication services for the public. 
During the 18th Congress, this representation also filed the same bill through House Bill 
No. 8168 substituted by House Bill 9851which was approved by the House of Representatives 
on third and final reading and was transmitted to the Senate. However, the Senate failed to act 
on the said piece of legislation which resulted to the refiling of this bill. 
In view of this, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
HON. JOSE “BONG” J. TEVES, JR. 
Representative 
TGP Partylist 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ___________ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. JOSE “BONG” J. TEVES, JR. 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A ZERO SPECTRUM USER FEE POLICY FOR PHILIPPINE 
TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENTITIES USING Wi-Fi FREQUENCY BANDS OR 
SPECTRUM  
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:  
 SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Zero Spectrum User Fee 
for Telcos Using Wi-Fi Act ".  
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the vital role of 
telecommunication in nation building and as such, it shall implement measures to provide 
communication standards suitable to the needs and aspirations of the nation.  
As a scarce public resource, the State shall manage the use of the radio frequency 
spectrum in the interest of the public and in accordance with international agreements and 
conventions to which the Philippines is a signatory. Towards this end, the government shall 
allocate the radio frequency spectrum to promote the adoption of appropriate technologies and 
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best practices, an interference-free environment, and the highest service standards and shall 
assign the radio frequency spectrum to service providers capable of efficiently and effectively 
using it to meet public demand for telecommunications and data transmission services. 
 
SEC. 3. Objectives. – This Act aims to: 
 
 a) Establish a policy and regulation that will reduce to zero the spectrum user 
fee (SUF) paid by telecommunications entities to the national government, to enable 
the proliferation of the Wi-Fi technology usage and infrastructure development, and 
eventually lower the cost of delivering telecommunications services to end users;  
 
b) Promote the acceleration of internet use in the country and the expansion of 
Wi-Fi technology and infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas so the poor and 
underprivileged will have access to reliable, accessible and affordable connectivity;  
 
 c) Encourage and empower the small players in the industry to provide 
affordable internet services especially in the unserved and underserved areas; and  
 
d) Adopt a license-free, zero SUF policy in accordance with best international 
practices, and protect public interest by limiting the use of outdoor Wi-Fi frequency 
access points or base stations and links to the government and duly enfranchised public 
telecommunications entities.  
 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act:  
 
a) Internet refers to the biggest worldwide global computer network providing 
a wide variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected 
networks 14 using standardized communication protocols;  
 
b) Internet service provider or ISP refers to an entity with or without a franchise, 
registered as a value-added service provider with the National Telecommunications 
Commission (NTC) and authorized to build, install, operate and maintain a network in order to 
offer 18 internet access services to the public for a fee;  
 
c) Open and unprotected frequency refers to the frequencies at 2.4-2.4835 GHz, 
5.150- 20 5.350 GHz, and 5.470-5.850 GHz. of the radio spectrum. Any frequency outside of 
these frequencies is a licensed frequency especially if it is included in the frequencies listed in 
the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) policies and NTC 
Memorandum Circulars and issuances which are part of the National Radio Frequency 
Allocation Table (NRFAT);  
 
d) Public telecommunications entity or PTE refers to any person, firm, 
partnership or corporation, government or private, engaged in the provision of 
telecommunications services to the public for a fee;  
 
e) Radio frequency spectrum refers to the part of the electromagnetic spectrum 
with frequencies from 30Hz to 300GHz, used for communications which includes frequencies 
for wireless telecommunications technologies such as radio, television, and radar;  
 


f) Spectrum user fee (SUF) refers to the fee imposed by the government 
regulator in the use of a particular frequency; and 
 
g) Wi-Fi or Wireless fidelity refers to a type of wireless local access network 
technology that is based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) 
wireless communication standard 802.11 family and uses the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency 
band.  
 
SEC. 5. Coverage. – This Act shall cover Wi-Fi frequencies at 2.4-2.4835 GHz, 5.150-
5.350 2 GHz, and 5.470-5.850 GHz, and any other frequency band that the NTC may deem 
open and unprotected after due notice and hearing. This Act shall in no way amend or repeal 
Republic Act 4 No. 10929, otherwise known as “The Free Internet Access in Public Places 
Act”.  
 
SEC. 6. Establishing a Zero Spectrum User Fee. – The State through the DICT and 
the NTC shall not impose a levy, charge, or collect fees from PTEs and other users for their 
use of frequencies as specified in this Act: Provided, That PTEs shall not interfere with each 
other’s Wi-Fi airwaves or with any licensed radio stations in the course of their operations, 
thereby effectively establishing a zero SUF.  
 
SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – Within sixty (60) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, the DICT as the lead agency, together with the NTC and 
representatives from the telecommunications sector shall promulgate the necessary rules and 
regulations for the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.  
 
SEC. 8. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCOC). – There is hereby 
created a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor the effective implementation of 
this Act, recommend the necessary remedial or administrative measures and perform such other 
duties and functions as may be necessary to attain the objectives of this Act.   
 
The oversight committee shall be composed of eight (8) members, with the 
Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Public Services and the House of Representatives’ 
Committee on Information and Communications Technology as Co-Chairpersons. The three 
(3) members from each House, shall be designated by the Senate President and the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives, respectively: Provided, that at least one (1) member from each 
House shall be nominated by their respective Minority Leaders. The secretariat of the JCOC 
shall be the existing secretariat personnel of the concerned Committees of both Houses of 
Congress. 
 
SEC. 9. Suppletory Application. – The provisions of Republic Act No. 10844 also 
known as the “Department of Information and Communications Technology Act of 2015” and 
other laws consistent with this Act shall have suppletory application.  
 
SEC. 10. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof not affected thereby shall continue 
to be in full force and effect.  
 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof contrary to or inconsistent 
with this Act are hereby repealed, superseded or modified accordingly.  


 
SEC. 12. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
 
Approved,