House asked to stop deal

Iloilo City —Raising concerns of a monopolized telecommunications industry, bloggers in Iloilo have called on Congress to investigate the announced merger between Smart Communications Inc. of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and Digital Telecommunications of JG Summit Holdings Inc.
In separate letters to Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor and Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas, blogger Jericho Dignadice asked the government to look into the possible impact of the P74.1 billion transaction on consumers, especially Internet and phone users.
“We cannot afford to have a limited set of (choices) or locked in on a limited set of products,” Dignadice said in his letter.
Dignadice, 21, and a blogger since 2009, said the merger could put into the control of one company the telecommunication industry.
He expressed fears of an industry controlled by PLDT-Digitel with a 70 percent market share.
Dignadice said the entry of Sun Cellular in the telecommunication industry years back prompted other companies to improve their services, lowered rates and resulted to more services to consumers.  /INQUIRER