THE third player in the country's telecommunications industry should be "reliable, inexpensive, and secure," President Rodrigo Duterte said in his third State of the Nation Address delivered Monday, July 23.
Duterte emphasized that the selection process should be "inclusive" to allow the government to select the most competent telecommunications carrier.
"My administration remains firm in its resolve to ensure that the country's telecommunication services are reliable, inexpensive, and secure," the President said.
"A draft terms of reference for the entry of a new, major industry player is at hand. The terms should be fair, reasonable and comprehensive. It will be inclusive so it will be open to all interested private parties, both foreign and local," he added.
Duterte had initially wanted the third major telecommunications player to be operational by March 2018, in an attempt to end the "duopoly" of telecommunications firms Globe Telecom Incorporated and PLDT Incorporated.
This was not, however, fulfilled, as the Department of Informations and Communications Technology (DICT) sought to attract more investors.
On April 6, Duterte signed Administrative Order 11, creating an oversight committee that would ensure that the selection of the new telecommunications player will be done in an "integrated and transparent manner."
In his speech, Duterte said the government should ensure that the telecommunications company that would be selected will provide the "best possible services."
"The only condition is that the chosen entity must provide the best possible services at reasonable accessible prices," he said. (SunStar Philippines)