Proposal

APrIGF 2026 Session Proposal Submission Form
Part 1 - Lead Organizer
Contact Person
Mr. Adrian Wan
Email
Organization / Affiliation (Please state "Individual" if appropriate) *
Internet Society
Designation
Director, Policy & Advocacy
Gender
Male
Economy of Residence
Singapore
Stakeholder Group
Technical Community
List Your Organizing Partners (if any)
Gomer Padong, Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia/ Local Networks Initiative, gpadong@isea-group.net

Benjz Gerard Sevilla, unconnected.org, bgsevilla@unconnected.org
Part 2 - Session Proposal
Session Title
From Barrier to Enabler: Rethinking Policy for Community-Driven Internet Access
Thematic Track of Your Session

  • Option

    • Primary: Universal and Meaningful Connectivity
    • Secondary: Future of APrIGF & Multistakeholder Ecosystem
Session Format
Panel Discussion (60 minutes)
Where do you plan to organize your session?
Hybrid (with onsite moderator and speakers both online and offline, with online moderator for questions and comments from remote participants)
Specific Issues for Discussion
In the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, approximately 77.1% of the population uses the Internet, according to the ITU, above the global average of 75%. But the figure masks a stark reality: the region has some of the most and increasingly connected societies in the world, and some of the least connected.

Community-centered connectivity (CCC) initiatives—locally owned, run, and governed networks—are connecting unconnected communities in Asia-Pacific that commercial providers cannot. Yet many of these initiatives struggle to survive beyond their first funding cycles. While the typical barriers, such as geography, sustainability, capacity, are well documented, one barrier receives far less attention than it deserves: regulatory frameworks.

This panel introduces CCC to those new to the topic while advancing a deeper conversation for those already familiar. Drawing on real-life examples from across the region, panellists will explore what community-driven connectivity looks like in practice, what it has made possible, and what policy conditions determine whether these initiatives survive and scale. Licensing frameworks, spectrum access, and Universal Service Fund eligibility will be examined as concrete levers that regulators and governments across APAC can act on to turn policy from a barrier into an enabler.
Describe the Relevance of Your Session to APrIGF
This session directly addresses the Universal and Meaningful Connectivity track. APrIGF 2026's overarching theme of Safeguarding a Resilient Internet in Times of Crisis calls for concrete discussion of what makes Internet infrastructure durable and equitable—not just in ideal conditions, but in the environments where it is most needed and most precarious.

Community-centered connectivity has proven it can reach the communities that commercial models leave behind. What determines whether it does so sustainably is the policy environment. Licensing reform, spectrum access, and USF eligibility are actionable levers available to the national regulators, development partners, and multilateral bodies represented at APrIGF. This session surfaces what enabling frameworks look like in practice, where reform is already happening in the region, and what the next steps are.

The session also connects to the Digital Resilience sub-theme. A community network operating within a clear legal framework — with stable spectrum access and a pathway to local revenue — is one that survives disasters, political disruption, and commercial operator withdrawal. Regulatory enablement and resilience are the same goal, viewed from different angles.

The session is designed to be accessible to participants with no prior knowledge of community networks or licensing policy, while offering policy depth for specialists. It brings together civil society, practitioner, governments, and technical perspectives to generate concrete takeaways applicable across diverse APAC regulatory contexts.
Methodology / Agenda (Please add rows by clicking "+" on the right)
Time frame (e.g. 5 minutes, 20 minutes, should add up to the time limit of your selected session format) Description
5 Opening. Moderator sets the scene: who is still offline in APAC, and why community-driven connectivity matters. Frames the central question: what does it take for these initiatives to survive and thrive?
25 Panel discussion. Four panellists respond to three lines of questioning: (1) What does community-driven connectivity look like in practice, and what has it made possible? (2) What policy and regulatory conditions have helped or hindered the initiatives you have seen? (3) What is the one change that would make the biggest difference for community networks in your context? Panellists will draw on real-life examples including from across APAC. Moderator ensures balanced time and draws out contrast between practitioner and policy perspectives.
20 Audience interaction. Q and A or live poll.
10 Synthesis. Moderator draws together key threads and closes with two to three concrete policy asks for APAC regulators and policymakers.
Moderators & Speakers Info (Please complete where possible) - (Required)

  • Moderator (Primary)

    • Name: Adrian Wan
    • Organization: Internet Society
    • Designation: Director, Policy & Advocacy
    • Gender: Male
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Singapore
    • Stakeholder Group: Technical Community
    • Expected Presence: In-person
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed

  • Moderator (Facilitator)

    • Stakeholder Group: Select One
    • Expected Presence: Select One
    • Status of Confirmation: Select One

  • Speaker 1

    • Name: Lay Puthineath
    • Organization: Cambodia Digital Government Committee
    • Gender: Female
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Cambodia
    • Stakeholder Group: Government
    • Expected Presence: Select One
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed

  • Speaker 2

    • Name: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nurul Nuha Abdul Molok
    • Organization: Knowledge for Change & Advancement, International Islamic University Malaysia
    • Designation: Deputy Director (Governance)
    • Gender: Female
    • Economy / Country of Residence: Malaysia
    • Stakeholder Group: Academia
    • Expected Presence: Select One
    • Status of Confirmation: Confirmed

  • Speaker 3

    • Name: Adelaine De Castro
    • Organization: Department of Information and Communications Technology
    • Designation: Director IV, National ICT Planning, Policy and Standards Bureau
    • Gender: Female
    • Economy / Country of Residence: The Philippines
    • Stakeholder Group: Government
    • Expected Presence: Select One
    • Status of Confirmation: Select One

  • Speaker 4

    • Stakeholder Group: Select One
    • Expected Presence: Select One
    • Status of Confirmation: Select One

  • Speaker 5

    • Stakeholder Group: Select One
    • Expected Presence: Select One
    • Status of Confirmation: Select One
Please explain the rationale for choosing each of the above contributors to the session.
The selection of this diverse panel is designed to foster a balanced multi-stakeholder dialogue essential for bridging the gap between abstract policy and practical implementation.

Adrian Wan (Internet Society) provides policy leadership and expert facilitation. As a representative of ISOC, he ensures the session remains grounded in established global principles of community-centered connectivity.

Lay Puthineath (Cambodia Digital Government Committee) & Adelaine de Castro (DICT Philippines) will offer government perspectives. Their contributions will be vital to address the "regulatory inertia" of legacy frameworks and to discuss the feasibility of reform in the Asia-Pacific context.

Dr. Nurul Nuha Abdul Molok (IIUM) bridges the academic-governance gap, providing evidence-based insights into sustainable governance models.
Has AI been used to develop this proposal?
Yes
How:
Spellcheck, writing assistance
Please declare if you have any potential conflict of interest with the Program Committee 2026.
No
Are you or other session contributors planning to apply for the APrIGF Fellowship Program 2026?
No
Upon evaluation by the Program Committee, your session proposal may only be selected under the condition that you will accept the suggestion of merging with another proposal with similar topics. Please state your preference below:
Yes, I am willing to work with another session proposer on a suggested merger.
APrIGF offers live transcripts in English for all sessions. Do you need any disability related requirements for your session? APrIGF makes every effort to be a fully inclusive and accessible event, and will do the best to fulfill your needs.
No
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    Gender Balance in Moderators/Speakers (Please fill in numbers)
      Consent
      I agree that my data can be submitted to forms.for.asia and processed by APrIGF organizers for the program selection of APrIGF 2026.