TECHNOMALIST
The Philippine House of Representatives has passed a bill that would obligate colleges and universities to offer free internet access and digital course materials to their students and faculty. House Bill No. 9532, which cleared the third reading with a unanimous 202 votes, now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Under the proposed law, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) would establish a National Academic Content Repository in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and academic institutions. This online platform would host digital textbooks, recorded lectures, research papers, and other educational resources, accessible at no cost to users nationwide.
The bill also mandates DICT and higher education institutions to ensure campus-wide high-speed Wi-Fi is available without charge, with priority given to rural and under-resourced campuses.
House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, who is among the bill’s proponents, said the initiative targets students who struggle to afford both textbooks and internet connectivity.
To implement the repository, CHED would be responsible for securing licenses for digital textbooks, negotiating with publishers, and establishing review panels to evaluate the quality of materials. The bill also provides funding for localized learning resources and encourages faculty to create and share their own content.
Additionally, schools would be required to appoint an open learning resources officer and assist students in developing digital literacy skills.
If the bill is enacted into law, CHED and DICT would have 90 days to draft and issue the implementing rules and regulations.
_This report is based on information from NoypiGeeks._
What happens next
The House approved HB 9532 on third reading with 202 affirmative votes, no negative votes and no abstentions. Legislative records show it was transmitted to and received by the Senate on August 13, 2026. It is therefore not yet a law and still requires Senate action and the rest of the legislative process.
The proposal would place the National Academic Content Repository under CHED in partnership with DICT and higher education institutions. The repository would cover textbooks, lecture videos, syllabi, research papers and open educational resources. The campus Wi-Fi requirement would apply to enrolled students and faculty at public and private institutions, with rural and under-resourced campuses prioritized during initial implementation. Funding, network reliability, cybersecurity and copyright licensing will be important details if the measure advances.
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