‘Slowest internet speed in the world’

Imagine a new planet that has suddenly emerged beside Planet Earth. Astonishingly, this new planet is an exact copy of Planet Earth, including everything that exists on it such as people, goods and services. The difference is that the new planet is a hologram of Planet Earth.

This is exactly what the internet has done. It has created a duplicate copy of Planet Earth, although a virtual-reality version of it. Even if the new planet is a mere hologram, it thrives with “life” distinct from real life on Planet Earth.

On Real Earth, we need to travel physically in order to do research in the library, transact with the bank, or buy clothes
at the store.

On Hologram Earth, we can do all of these without leaving our homes. By connecting to the internet we are transported into the hologram planet where we can do a multitude of pursuits.

Hologram Earth has become so powerful. Movements of people, money and goods happen on Real Earth because of commands from Hologram Earth.

The internet is the evolving equivalent of the teleportation machine that enables characters of the “Star Trek” movies to “beam up” to a different location. Our access to the internet virtually enables us to beam up our hologram selves to the library, bank, or store, and do real transactions in these places. The internet has exponentially multiplied the capabilities of our physical existence.

We are increasingly living our lives on Hologram Earth instead of on Real Earth. Our access to Hologram Earth provides solutions to many problems in our lives on Real Earth.

For example, life on Planet Earth is beset with horrendous traffic congestion and the desolation created by the distance
between cities, islands, and countries. The internet has provided a revolutionary solution to traffic and distance.

Because of its importance in enabling us to beam up to the hologram planet, our need for easy and speedy internet access is of the highest national importance because our country needs to benefit from this revolutionary development that is changing the course of world civilization.

Disappointingly, our country’s internet access is controlled by two companies that provide one of the slowest and most expensive internet services in the world. In fact, the Philippines “has the slowest internet speed in the world,” according to a 2016 report. Our internet connection mimics the horrendous traffic gridlock on our roads. The cost per megabit per second in the Philippines is at an average value of $18.18, while global average is only $5.21 according to a study.

If angry words can kill, the owners of the two companies would have suffered a million deaths because their customers curse them daily. They are accused of reaping outrageous profits generated from their slow and unreliable services.

They are our country’s licensed gatekeepers to the worldwide web, and our government’s delegated rulers in our
nation’s piece of the hologram planet. In exchange for the tons of money they earn, they have the duty to deliver efficient internet service.

It is an outrage that the two companies want the internet business as their absolute domain to the exclusion of competitors. Worse, they don’t even want the government to review whether their duopoly would benefit the people. These companies’ control of the internet has gigantic public interest implications. And the specter of our country being forever stuck with unreliable internet service is a looming national disaster.

The two companies are beneficiaries of the deregulation policy that dismantled the infamously inefficient Marcos-era telecommunications monopoly. Yet, they have maneuvered to revert the country to the hated years of monopoly and the era of inefficient service.

President Duterte must not allow them to continue inflicting suffering upon the people. This is an issue where the President’s foul language and bully tactics can be put to good use, with the unanimous approbation of the public.

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