Overview

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) envisions itself as a proactive regulatory agency towards a globally competitive, universally accessible and affordable information infrastructure and services.” To attain this vision, it seeks as its mission “to establish a regulatory environment conducive to the sustainable growth and development of the information infrastructure and services” and “to promote and sustain an environment that would foster a healthy relationship among stakeholders particularly between the service providers and the consumers.” Despite the downward growth in the industry, telecommunications remains a priority of the Philippine government. For this reason, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared that information and communications technology (ICT) should be the leading sector for economic growth and key to finding the country’s proper niche in the global information economy in the 21st Century. This recognition of the powerful strength and vast potential of ICT as a weapon to eradicate hunger and poverty is what government and the private sector are using in their respective agenda of action. ICT plays a vital role in keeping the nation going, not just because it keeps people in touch with each other despite the distances. More than this, it provides the means through which knowledge is made available to all in order to make things better, easier to obtain and costs cheaper. ICT are today’s driving force of globalization, since these can reach many more people by going geographically deeper and wider, work faster and at lower cost. Thus, the NTC has been mandated to make sure that CT will help make national developments especially poverty alleviation, work. In this context, the NTC recognizes the need for an environment where all service providers can compete and co-exist with each other. The goal being is to develop the appropriate infrastructure and reduce barriers to create a fully competitive telecommunications market. To help create this competitive environment, the NTC has formulated a management plan to address issues on interconnection, pricing of telecommunications, frequency management and universal access and services. All regulatory and development activities of the NTC also aim to uphold and protect the rights of the consumers and other users. A memorandum circular has been issued to provide consumers a choice of telecommunications services best suited for situation and capacity to pay. Where telecommunications access is concerned, a circular was issued for the deployment of Public Calling Centers and telecenters in areas where these services are needed. Consumer concerns regarding the prevalence of theft and snatching of cellular phones has instigated the Commission to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the different carriers and the Philippine National Police, thus, blocking off signals to the phone and rendering the entire unit not useable. In the field of broadcast, the NTC has coordinated with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) regarding complaints of program providers. This is intended to resolve the issues on cable piracy and. to assist the prosecution of the violators before the IPO. The Commission also coordinated with the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) regarding the issue on pornography. While it is true that the MTRCB is solely responsible for the contents yet it is the NTC who issues the permit, either a Provisional Authority or Certificate of Authority in favor of the cable operators. Thus, any violation relative to the showing or exhibition of pornographic film will merit the cancellation of its authority. The Commission also worked on the publication of a directive regarding the mandatory taping of programs by the television stations. This requires all TV networks to tape or record their programs and to submit the unedited copy to the Commission within five (5) days from airing of the programs. In August 2002, the NTC hosted and organized the 8th ASEAN Telecommunications Regulators Council Meeting (ATRC). Later, the same month, NTC also participated in the 31st Telecommunications Senior Officials Meeting (TELSOM) which culminated with the 2nd ASEAN Telecommunications Ministers Meeting (TELMIN) hosted by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). These international gatherings were attended by the respective telecommunications and information technology officials of all ASEAN countries. The NTC recognizes that there are problems and areas that are yet to be resolved like the relatively low telephone density, the rules on voice over Internet protocol and the policies regarding the advent of the third generation (3G) mobile phone among others. These important events were highlighted with the signing of the Manila Declaration forged by the ASEAN Ministers. This Annual Report chronicles these accomplishments and how the Commission maintains to strike a balance by ensuring the promotion of the industry’s growth while protecting the interests of the consumers.