Let foreign telcos in

Tycoon Manny Pangilinan advised the government to back off and not meddle in the joint venture between PLDT and Globe Telecom which aims to improve internet services in the country.

Pangilinan owns PLDT while Globe is owned by the Ayalas.

But how can the government not intervene when both companies have been giving their customers poor service?

Both Globe and Smart, an affiliate company of PLDT, haven’t acted on customers’ complaints such as poor signal, dropped calls, delayed text messages and hidden charges, among other things.

And here comes Pangilinan telling the government to keep its hands off the PLDT-Globe joint venture.

President-elect Digong should all the more be wary of the telco deal when he takes over the reins of government.

It remains to be seen whether the joint project will make the two firms more efficient.

Mano Digong should consider the option of allowing the entry of foreign telcos to improve the country’s telecommunications industry.

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I was flying over the mountains of Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley two weeks ago aboard a helicopter when the pilot pointed out a mining camp belonging to boxing champ and now Senator-elect Manny Pacquiao.

The mining camp is on top of a mountain which has been denuded to give way to the construction of a road leading to the area.

The mining site should be shut down by incoming Environment Secretary Gina Lopez.

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A very poor family came to me to complain about some policemen in Imus City, Cavite province.

The Quilatan family—Teresita, 54, mother; Amelia, 20, her daughter-in-law; son Dennis, 15; Vincent, 10; another daughter-in-law Sherlyn, 20; Frederick, 20; and Elpa, 24—said they were beaten up, held at gunpoint, pistol-whipped and arrested by the policemen.

The cops raided their house to look for a gun even without a court warrant based on a complaint which turned out to be false.

The cops led by SPO1 Danilo Paredes didn’t even apologize after learning of their mistake.

Their superiors—Supt. Redrico Maranan, Imus police chief; Senior Supt. Eliseo Cruz, Cavite provincial director; and Chief Supt. Valfri Tabian, director of Police Regional Office 4-A—refused to be interviewed about the incident.

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The incoming Duterte administration cannot succeed in its campaign against crime and drugs if abusive policemen remain in the force.

The success of the anti-crime drive depends, to a large extent, on the cooperation of the citizenry.

But why will ordinary, law-abiding citizens help if they distrust the government?