Noting that it is imperative that all telecommunication companies or service providers adhere and comply on the rights and welfare of its consumers, 1Pacman Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero has filed measure that would protect subscribers and penalize violators. This includes and is not any way limited to: quality services, resources management, service regulation, penalties-sanction and dispute resolutions.
House Bill No. 988 is mandating all telecommunications company (service provider) to provide all subscribers a copy of the sanctions made to their agents/personnel who were involved in acts of tampering, sabotage and all other fraudulent schemes, to uphold consumer protection, providing penalties and sanctions, and for other purposes.
“This House Bill seeks to promote the rights and interest of the consumer/subscriber, to foster the general welfare and to establish the correction standards for all business and industry. HB No. 988 would cover all electronic communications and transactions,” says Romero.
Romero pointed out it is policy of the state to promote the interests of the consumers/subscribers; foster the general welfare and create acceptable standards or protocol for all business and industries; defend against all forms of deception, unfair and unethical practices and schemes; facilitate the proper implementation of the rights of the consumer/subscriber; and hasten the imposition of all existing policies and guidelines of the “Consumer Protection Act.”
The bill also mandates that all telecommunications company/service provider shall be mandated to provide all subscribers a copy of the sanctions made to their agents/personnel who were involved in acts of tampering, sabotage and all other fraudulent schemes, and probation shall apply to all postpaid subscriptions under a service contract, regardless of the duration of its contract among others.
For violation, the telecom company shall pay a fine of not less than P200,000 for the first offense, a fine of not less than P500,000 for the second offense and in case of subsequent offence, the penalty shall be fine of not less than P1,000,000; and revocation of the franchise to operate. The proposal tasks the following government agencies to be led by the Bureau of Communication Services (BCS) of the PCOO, Dept. of Trade and Industry (DTI), Dept. of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to carry out the provisions of HB No. 988 and shall formulate the necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation.
