COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE PHILIPPINES
INPUTS TO HRC RESOLUTION 32/13: THE PROMOTION, PROTECTION AND ENJOYMENT OF
HUMAN RIGHTS ON THE INTERNET
29 JANUARY 2017
1. The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (herewith the Commission)i submits to the
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, its inputs on the situation and obstacles faced
by women (and vulnerable and marginalized groups) in the Philippines to access the internet, and
measures taken to bridge the gender digital divide in the country.
2. This submission took into consideration local and international reports from government, civil
society, the media, and international non-government organizations. This submission also utilized
the Commission’s own documentation of independent monitoring activities and statements on
technology and human rights, which were subjected to the internal deliberations of the Commission
En Banc.
Access to information and communications technology (ICT) in general and the internet in
particular
3. The Philippines consistently ranks among the top 10 countries with the least gender disparity in
the Asia Pacific, based on World Economic Forum data.ii Significantly, the country is one of the
very few States in the region where women have almost equal participation in the technical field
as men, and where women, although only marginally, outnumber men in having access to the
internet. However, it is also in the Philippines where information and communications technology
(ICT) adoption is not regarded by people as an immediate priority due to rampant poverty.iii
4. Freedom House rated the Philippines as “free” in its Freedom on the Net 2016 report. Internet
freedom in the county improved since there was no recurrence of internet shutdowns.iv
5. Connection speeds in the Philippines remain among the slowest in the world although the
government attempts to provide thousands of free Wi-Fi hotspots with the aim of connecting 99
percent of the population.v The country also has the most expensive internet subscriptions in the
Asian region.vi
6. In 2015 the World Wide Web Foundation in collaboration with the Foundation for Media Alternatives
(FMA) prepared gender audits to help countries assess their actions to overcome the gender digital
divide. The report on the Philippines identified the primary obstacles faced by women in the country
with respect to ICT to wit:
Internet Access & Women’s Empowerment - While in urban areas the gender gap in
Internet access is closing, our Women’s Rights Online study showed that few women