The House of Representatives (HoR) committee on legislative franchises has sent a letter to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) affirming the validity of Mislatel?s telecommunications franchise.
The Mislatel consortium, comprised of Udenna Corporation, Chelsea Holdings, and China Telecom, was officially the country?s new player in the telecommunications market after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued its ?Confirmation Order? on Monday, November 19.
In the letter, House Committee on Legislative Franchises chair Franz ?Chicoy? E. Alvarez stated the franchise granted to Mislatel through Republic Act 8627 remains valid and subsisting as the panel has not received any notice of judgment from any judicial or quasi-judicial body revoking or cancelling the franchise.
Based on a Committee report submitted by the Committee Affairs Office on October 23, 1997, the HoR approved the application of Mislatel through House Bill No. 10073, which eventually passed into law in the form of R.A. 8627.
It was, however, pointed out that Mislatel has failed to diligently submit within 60 days from the end of every year the required annual report to the Congress. Nevertheless, non-compliance with reportorial requirement did not affect the validity of Mislatel?s franchise.
The NTC earlier wrote to the panel seeking clarification on Mislatel?s franchise after a former government official alleged that the franchise was automatically revoked in 2003 for its failure to list in the stock market.
