PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has rejected the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s proposal to extend the deadline for the third telecommunications firm to operate in the country, an official said Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the third telecoms firm was meant to improve the telecommunication service in the country.
He said the President wanted a new telecoms carrier to be up and running by the first quarter of 2018.
He said the concerned agencies must act immediately to approve all applications and licenses within seven days, but only upon the complete submission of the requirements.
Duterte has said he dooes not want the courts to interfere and prolong the process by issuing any temporary restraining order or injunction because it is a matter of national interest and for the benefit of the public to have a third company providing telecommunications services.
“That’s how serious the President is on the entry of a third telecoms player,” Roque told reporters.
“It is being rushed because we need desperately to have better telecoms in this country.”
Roque also said Duterte was particularly displeased with the fact that in order to have a third telecoms player, the government would need to find frequencies to be allotted to the third player.
“He was also displeased with the fact that the frequency given to a company which apparently was given for free would have to be bought back by the government in order that the third player could be given the frequencies,” Roque said.
“The President rejected that proposal that we pay for the frequencies that we gave out for free.
“Frequencies are owned by the state. He will not allow the holders to benefit from a free privilege by charging us anything to enable the third telecoms carrier to operate.”
Roque declined to name the company that wants to sell the frequency but vowed to divulge it soon.