Press Release
June 3, 2009

REVILLA WANTS TELCOS PROBED ON "MISSING CELLPHONE LOAD"

In response to public uproar, Senator Bong Revilla pressed for a Senate inquiry on the widely-complained confiscation of unused cellphone load credits by telecommunication companies.

Revilla filed Senate Resolution 1120 to formally request the Senate to direct his committee, the Senate Committee on Public Services, to inquire upon, in aid of legislation, the said nefarious activity of Globe Telecoms, Smart Communications and Digital Communications Philippines (Digitel), the company that owns Sun Cellular.

According to the senator, there is a growing clamor from different prepaid cellphone subscribers regarding the pernicious confiscation of unused load credits, putting of expiration dates on the prepaid load credits, as well as the excessive and unnecessary advertisements by these telcos.

Revilla warned the telcos that he will recommend the cancellation of their franchise if the committee determines that they are shortchanging their subscribers.

"Since a franchise is merely a privilege granted by the government through Congress, it would be tantamount to a gross violation of their franchise if such claims be proven true, "he said.

The lawmaker further pointed out that a peso worth of load is important to the huge number of poor and middle class prepaid cellphone users since they are ones who rely on text messaging not only to communicate to their loved ones and friends but also to transact business or to perform their jobs.

"As much as possible, they want bonus load. But right now, it seems that they are receiving bogus load. Depriving them of what they paid for is clearly an act of cheating," Revilla said.

Revilla added that the telcos should not force its subscribers to avail of its additional services and promotions like unwanted ring tones and wall papers.

"The basic condition on granting franchises is the commitment of the companies to conform to the ethics of honest enterprise. They should faithfully perform their responsibility to the public as franchise grantees, or else their franchise will be cancelled," he explained.

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