A YOUTH group urged the Philippine government to recognize internet access a “basic human right.”

The Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan also called on the government to lift the ban on students entering computer shops.

“The IATF must allow students to enter computer shops. Local governments must lead in the retrofitting of computer shops. Students who cannot afford gadgets and internet service rely on these computer shops to continue their education, now more than ever with online classes continuing,” the group said.

It stressed that internet connection has become more necessary in this era.

“The right to internet access is interconnected to other rights such as the right to education, the right to freedom of speech, the right to freedom of assembly, and the right to social security,” the group added.

It said that with the implementation of flexible learning, students need access to the internet to attend online classes. Workers, it added, also need internet access to work from their homes.