A REPORT released this week by the World Bank painted a dismal picture of the state of the Philippines’ digital capabilities and pointed the finger at a cause that, until now, no one here has dared mention: the country’s outdated laws requiring legislative franchises for telecommunications operators which, the World Bank said, has resulted in more than half of Philippine households not having internet access.

The Philippine Digital Economy Report 2020, which the World Bank produced in cooperation with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), described the requirement for a congressional franchise as the first of many unnecessary hurdles a potential service provider would have to overcome in order to do business in the Philippines.