TE-0EC-2013-
\o U4s FY

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

3591

HOUSE BILL NO, _

Introduced by Honorable Emmanuel D, Pacquiao

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish the Wireless Internet Access Program in all state
universities and colleges in the country and appropriating funds therefor.

Section 1, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution states: “Zhe State shall
protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and
shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.""

Filipinos have always placed a high value on quality’ education. However,
“high quality education” usually refers to better Jearning facilities and expensive
tuition fees. Being so, high quality education is deemed accessible only to those
with financial means and who are enrolled mostly in private learning institutions.
Public schools, including state universities and colleges (SUCs) where poor but
deserving Filipino students go, often lag behind their private counterparts in
providing their students and teachers technology driven equipment that could
increase their capacity to achieve quality education, Hence, sftidents in SUCs who
are competitive intellectually become disadvantaged when it comes to gccess to
relevant information due to lack of facilities, one of which is wireless internet
connection within the campus. Students who cannot afford to subscribe to internet
plans resort to spending time in places that offer free wireless internet such as
coffee shops, restaurants and internet cafes instead of staying in school,

This student behavior is understandable given the hunger for knowledge that
permeates our society nowadays. The emergence of information technology and


globalization has dramatically changed human behavior. This has led to an
information revolution that exposed people to tremendous amounts of. sophisticated
knowledge. Compared to a few decades ago, the world now runs via information
highways and access to'this network of information has never been as important.
All sectors demand higher levels of skills in all aspects of life, such as in the
school, the workplace and business. The old methods that guided education in
previous decades have become obsolete. To excel, an individual now has to be
Properly abreast of the advanced and complex methods of data gathering,
processing and reporting offered by the World Wide Web.

Through this proposed measure, I am certain that there will be substantial
improvements in the performance of students in SUCs. In an article published on
the Philippine Daily Inquirer in November 2011, Secretary Armin Luistro of the
Department of Education stated that, “it is not enough that we merely continue
building classrooms and toilets. The real revolution in education which has long-
term effects can only be done through information technology.”

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly recommended.

EMMA) . PACQUIAO


Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No,_ 3591

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS PROGRAM IN
ALL STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES IN THE COUNTRY AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. ~ This Act shall be known as the “Wireless
Internet (WI) Access Act.” . :

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to protect
and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and to take
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all. Towards this end, the
State shall establish the Wireless Internet Access Program in all state universities
and colleges throughout the country by providing wireless internet connection
facilities, training personnel about applications and developing a system for its

effective implementation,


SEC. 3. Wireless Internet Access Program. ~ There shall be established
the Wireless Internet Access Program, hereinafter referred to as the Program, in all
state universities and colleges (SUCs) throughout the country. The Information and
Communications Technology Office (ICTO) under the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST) shall formulate, establish and maintain the Program to
provide wireless internet access to students, faculty members and other non-
teaching personnel in the SUCs and to ensure that the connectivity requirements of
the SUCs are met in an efficient and effective manner.

SEC. 4. Objectives. ~ The Program shall have the following objectives:

a) Provide a network for a reliable wireless internet eonneaion and
access to students, faculty members and non-teaching personnel in all SUCs which
shall promote easy access to information and services relevant to education;

b) Improve learning techniques through . cost-efficient and productivity-
enhancing methods with the use of the wireless internet;

c)  Modernize the delivery of information to the students through the use
and application of information and communications technology

d) Upgrade the capabilities of SUCs relevant to valuable educational
materials; and

©) Make the SUCs technologically competitive and at par with other

educational institutions around the world.


SEG: 5: Program Director. ~ Prior to the implementation of this Act on
the academic year immediately after its approval, all SUCs shall each appoint a
Program Director who shall be the lead person in charge of all activities necessary
for the determination, implementation and management of the Program in their
respective campuses, The Program Director shall be an expert in the field of
information and communications technology, particularly, on wireless internet
access administration.

SEC. 6. Duties and Functions. — The Program Director shall exercise
the following duties and functions:

a) Execute and administer the plans and projects for the realization of the

objectives set forth in this Act;

b) Direct and supervise the operation and internal administration of the
Program and, for this purpose, delegate some of the powers and duties to
appropriate subordinate personnel;

c) Select and, in coordination with their respective SUCs and the
Department of Budget and Management, fix the number and compensation of
personnel necessary to implement the provisions of this Act, subject to civil service
laws, rules and regulations;

d) Receive donations, grants or any form of aid from local or foreign

donors relative to the Program, ensure that said donations, grants or aids are used


for their intended purpose, make a report and submit the same to the proper SUC
authorities;

©) — Coordinate closely with the ICTO regarding the training of necessary
Personnel, improvement of the program design and other related matters that
require the expertise of the ICTO; and

f) Perform such other duties and functions that are proper or necessary
to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SECi7, Access. — All students, faculty members and non-teaching
personnel of all SUCs in the country shall be allowed access to a wireless internet
Connection within the premises of their respective universities or pollen For
purposes of security and unauthorized use of the free wireless internet connection,
restrictions with regard to its use shall be imposed in the form of passwords and
other similar mechanisms, which shall be readily provided to the student, faculty
member or non-teaching personnel upon request,

SEC. 8. Places of Access. — All SUCs shall ensure that access to the
wireless internet connection is available anytime at commen areas such as, but not
limited to, classrooms, libraries, auditoriums, main lobbies, student lounges, and
faculty and administrative offices of each distinct and separate publicly-accessible

building within the premises of the university or college.


SEC.9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90)
days from the approval of this Act, the Secretary of Science and Technology shall,
in coordination with the Chairperson of the Information and Communications
Technology Office, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 10. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the effective
implementation of this Act is hereby charged from the current appropriations for
the Department of Science and Technology. Thereafter, such amount as may be
necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the
annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders,
ordinances, rules and regulations and other issuances inconsistent with this Act are
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 12. — Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of
general circulation.

Approved,