Friday, March 29, 2024

DICT says it will defer to Congress on validity of Mislatel franchise

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it will respect the decision of Congress regarding the validity of Mislatel’s franchise, which was at the center of the Senate hearing last Thursday, Jan. 24.

DICT acting secretary Eliseo M. Rio Jr. (left) and NTC chair Gamaliel Cordoba during the recent Senate hearing

“We are confident that our representatives from both Houses would keep the public interest in mind in resolving the matter,” the DICT said in a statement on Saturday, Jan. 26.

“Nevertheless, the Department is ready to accept the decision of the Congress on the issue of the NMP (new major player) and act accordingly to make sure that the Filipinos gets a third player that it deserve, may it be Mislatel or another,” it added. 

In the meantime, the DICT said the Mislatel consortium will continue completing its post-qualification requirements to obtain its Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN).

Based on the report of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) during the same Senate hearing, the consortium has already secured the following:

  • The approval of the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) of Bidding Agreement Implementation, and the
  • Clearance from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finding terms of Bidding Agreement compliant with foreign equity ownership.

The group has until February 17 to furnish the NTC a copy of their Business Plan, Authentication/Consularization of Foreign Documents, and Roll-Out Plan. 

Despite legal and technical hurdles, the DICT said it remains optimistic that it will soon deliver its promise of a competitive telecommunications industry to the public.   

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