Poe calls hearing on 3rd telco player

Senator Grace Poe. INQUIRER FILE / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

The Senate committee on public services on Sunday called for a public hearing to discuss the status of the third major telecommunications service provider that is seen to break the duopoly in the sector.

Senator Grace Poe, who chairs the said committee, set the “explanatory” hearing on Monday.

The Senate in the exercise of its oversight functions, according to Poe, needs to be apprised of the developments surrounding the much-awaited entry of the country’s next telco player in anticipation of the reported award next month.

The committee will play a major role in tackling the congressional franchise of the applicant, she added.

“We need to have meaningful competition in public utilities like telecommunications that will translate to lower costs and better service,” Poe said in a statement.

This as the senator noted reports that the Philippines ranks near the bottom in internet speed globally and has one of the most expensive mobile and data rates.

Poe said that the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and other related government agencies are expected to brief senators about the issue during the public hearing.

DICT Acting Sec. Eliseo Rio, Jr. and NTC chair Gamaliel Cordoba are among the resource persons expected to provide a peek into the ongoing negotiations between the government and the private sector for the third telco.

Among companies earlier named as interested parties included NOW Corp., Converge ICT Solutions, and Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp.

Major telco players Globe and PLDT are also invited to the briefing, Poe said. /cbb

READ: 5 companies acquire 3rd telco bid documents