PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte says he is considering making India the third telecommunications player in the Philippines to break the duopoly of two telecommunications companies here that has frustrated consumers for years.
According to reports, the Philippines provides one of the slowest telecommunications service in the Asia-Pacific.
But Duterte said India had shown interest in investing in telecommunications in the Philippines, and that he had invited them to apply.
“There’s a new application from an Indian company. India is also interested to enter into the telecoms industry,” Duterte said during the induction of the new directors of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Inc. in Malacañang on Tuesday.
“I invited them during my talks with the businessmen of India during my official visit.”
Duterte also vowed to protect Indian investors in the Philippines from extortionists and corrupt officials. He assured them that their deals with the government would be “very simple and trouble-free” and asked them to report any agency taking too long to process their documents.
“Now, if you are here in business, you have the will, you have the determination to make it good, but my concern is to make it very simple for you to deal with the government,” Duterte said.
The FICCI started from a group of Indian businessmen drawn together in the spirit of brotherhood to establish ties with their homeland with the sincere desire to help integrate Indian businessmen with their Philippine counterparts.
Organized and registered in 1951, the organization is one of the oldest Indian Chambers outside India.
Duterte said the government will make available a new frequency to a new telecoms player to promote competition. He said interested parties could discuss their proposal with government officials.
“I have opened up the third frequency for telecoms. If you are the representative there, you can always go to them and discuss business, he said.
PLDT and Globe have been accused of stifling competition and of failing to make the necessary upgrades.
Last year, Duterte also offered China to be the country’s third telecoms operator. He made the offer to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang when the latter visited the Philippines.
“The good news is consumers can look forward to better telecommunications, not just in terms of cellular technology but also in terms of internet speed as well as access,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque told a media briefing.