MALACAÑANG welcomed on Thursday, November 8, Mislatel Consortium as the third provisional player in the Philippines's telecommunications market, expressing confidence that its entry was done through "transparent, fair, public and open selection process."
"We welcome the entry of a third telecommunications player in the country as a positive development," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
"Our people have long waited for a reliable, efficient, and inexpensive telecommunications service. The President’s strong political will has laid the foundation for its realization," he added.
Mislatel Consortium, a partnership between China Telecommunications Corporation and Davao businessman Dennis Uy's Udenna Corporation and its subsidiary Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corporation, was declared the provisional new major player in the telecommunications' industry.
Mislatel was the lone bidder that was able to present all the documents needed for the third telecommunications spot.
Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (PT&T) and Sear Telecom, the two other bidders, submitted incomplete documents, thus were disqualified by the National Telecommunications Commission's (NTC) selection committee.
PT&T and Sear Telecom both manifested to file their respective motions for reconsideration within three calendar days.
Panelo made it clear that President Rodrigo Duterte did not have a hand in the selection of Mislatel as provisional telecommunications player, noting that the Chief Executive "does not micromanage the given assignments of his alter egos."
Panelo said the government expected losing bidders to appeal their cases before appropriate agencies "in the spirit of fairness."
"Mislatel Consortium passed NTC’s preliminary selection process. There was a transparent, fair, public and open selection process, done in accordance with laws, as well as with pertinent rules and regulations," he said.
"Complying with the legal and constitutional requirements, Mislatel won over the two other bidders. Impositions in favor of the government and the end users have been made such as the requirement of performance bonds to ensure sound performance by the new player," he added.
For now, Panelo believed that Mislatel's entry would end the duopoly of PLDT Company Incorporated and Globe Telecom Incorporated. PLDT subsidiary Smart Communications operates the mobile network.
"Genuine competition in the telecommunications industry can come about only with a new major player which will break the existing duopoly thereby creating the climate of good and efficient services for Filipinos," he said.
"The entry of the third player is another shining example of the brand of governance that the President has trailblazed for emulation," the Palace official added. (SunStar Philippines)