Press Release
July 8, 2009

ROXAS ON NTC BAN ON "PUSH" MESSAGES: TOO LATE, NOT ENOUGH

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas today lauded the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) circular to prohibit the sending of unsolicited promotional messages, but said the order came in too late and still too short of what is needed.

"Sa wakas ay ipagbabawal na ang mga 'push messages.' Pero malamang ay hindi pa ito dumating kung hindi pa inimbestigahan ng Senado ang mga panlolokong ginagawa sa 75 milyong Pilipinong gumagamit ng cellphone," he said.

"Mabuti ito, pero kulang pa. Marami pang dapat tuparin ang gobyerno at ang mga telco. Dapat tuluyan nang magbukas ang pinto sa mga pagbabago sa tele-komunikasyon para sa kapakanan ng mga konsyumer," Roxas added.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce vowed that his committee's inquiry into consumer complaints on mobile phone services will not stop until all measures that protect consumers' rights are in place.

In particular, he said he will continue to pursue a per-second voice call charging framework in place of the existing per-minute charging scheme.

"Itong per-second charging ng mga tawag at iba pang pagbabago ay matagal nang hinihintay ng mahigit-kumulang 75 milyong Pilipino na gumagamit ng cellphone. Hindi na ito puwedeng maunsiyami," he added.

"At the bottom line of this is the consumer. Hindi ko na kailangang idiin pa kung gaano kahalaga sa buhay ng Pilipino ang cellphone. We're determined to take further, bigger steps," he said.

NTC chairman Ruel Canobas reported during Wednesday's Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting the effectivity of Memorandum Circular No. 04-07-2009, which prohibits wireless content and information providers from sending or initiating push messages. Such providers are allowed to only offer their promotions through print, television and radio advertisements.

The Circular likewise orders, among others, that content and information providers can only send commercials and promotional advertisements, surveys and other broadcast messages only upon prior written consent of subscribers.

Violation of any of the provisions of the Circular would be a ground for the revocation or cancellation of the registration as content and information provider and the imposition of fines in accordance with existing laws.

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