MANILA – Senator Bam Aquino lamented the slow implementation of Republic Act 10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, eight years after its passage, saying millions of students and teachers remain deprived of reliable connectivity.

In a privilege speech, Aquino said nearly 12,000 public schools still have no internet access, citing data from the Department of Education (DepEd). “Para sa mga estudyanteng walang connection sa bahay, karagdagang problema at gastos pa po sa kanila at sa kanilang magulang itong pagkukulang ng internet sa kanilang eskuwelahan,” Aquino said. “2025 na po at hindi pwedeng offline ang bayan at ating kabataan.”

Aquino, who sponsored the law in 2017 as then-chair of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, said full implementation is crucial to his proposed E-Textbook Para Sa Lahat Act, which would require all DepEd-approved textbooks to be digitally accessible for free.

He pointed out that while the government allocated nearly ₱18 billion for the program from 2018 to 2024, only 18,000 sites have been activated, with just 2,950 located in public schools. “Ang pangunahing tanong: Kailan po natin makukumpleto ang pag-connect sa public schools natin sa internet?” he said.

Aquino also flagged inconsistencies in the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) targets and vowed to clarify issues on site coverage, reliability, speed, and maintenance. He said around 20 million Filipinos still cannot afford regular internet access, noting that families spend an average of ₱1,069 a month—one of the highest in ASEAN relative to income.

The senator’s push gained bipartisan support, with Senators Robinhood Padilla and Loren Legarda backing calls for full implementation. Padilla said, “Gusto ko lang magpahayag ng aking isandaang porsiyentong suporta kay Senator Bam Aquino upang matiyak ang maayos na pagpapatupad ng Free WiFi Law.” Legarda, meanwhile, pressed for transparency on funding: “I’d like to know also where the ₱18 billion went and how much would it cost for all DepEd schools, SUCs, ports, airports, terminals, bus terminals, and public hospitals, and even town plazas and parks.”

Aquino vowed to exercise his oversight function as chair of the Senate Committees on Basic Education and Science and Technology to ensure the law’s full rollout.