WIN TRANSCRIPT AMBUSH INTERVIEW | MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY ACT AKA LIFETIME CELLPHONE NUMBER ACT | FARE HIKE
SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES

SEN WIN: Itong batas ay naaprubahan na. Ang importanteng features nitong batas ay ang mga consumers natin na gustong lumipat sa third telco, hindi na nila kailangang magpalit pa ng cellphone numbers so pwede na nilang dala-dala ang kanilang numbers. Kung ang third telco ay nagbaba ng presyo, nagbigay ng mas magandang service, hindi na tayong mahihirapang lumipat sa kahit anong telco. Ngayon kasi kung marami kang cellphone numbers, isang malaking problema kung lilipat ka ay kakailanganin mo i-text ang lahat na papalitan mo na ang cellphone number mo, with this law, hindi mo na kailangan gawin yun.

Q: Ano po ang security impact nito?

SEN WIN: Wala namang security impact ito dahil ang dadalhin lang naman ay ang cellphone number mo. Wala kaming nakita in terms of national security issues.

Q: Gaano po katagal bago ang implementation? Mayroon bang transition na kailngang gawin ang mga mobile telephone companies?

SEN WIN: In this case, binigyan naming ng ample time ang NTC about six months to come up with an IRR pero pagkatapos ng IRR, implementation na ito kaagad. Based on our hearing, possible na ito kasi marami nang bansa ang gumagawa nito. This will improve competition at ngayon ay mas madali na sa ating lumipat ng iba't-ibang telco companies na hindi na kailangang magpalit ng cellphone number.

The problem with the third telco, even though he comes in, mahihirapan siyang kumuha ng customers dahil ang dalawang telco natin ay talagang hawak na nila ang customers nila. Ang mga customers na gustong lumipat, nagiging abala para sa kanila na magpalit ng telephone number at mag text ng bagong number nila kapag lilipat sila. With this law, may freedom of movement, pwede silang lumipat sa kahit anong telephone company. Kunyare apat na ang telco natin, pwede silang lumipat sa apat anytime they want and they can also go back. For example, lumipat sila sa third at gusto nilang bumalik sa Globe or Smart, pwede yun na hindi sila magpapalit ng cellphone number.

Q: Will you set penalties under the bill? What are you going to penalize?

SEN WIN: Yes. For example, pinahirapan ka sa paglipat, yung existing telco mo ayaw ibigay ang lumang number mo, may penalty yun ranging up to 40 million pesos at revocation of the franchise. Kung gusto kong lumipat sa third telco, sasabihin ko lang na bigyan mo ako ng linya at kunin mo ang telephone number ko from, example, Globe, so magpapadala sila ng notice sa Globe at dapat ibigay na agad ng Globe ang iyong number. Ngayon, because mayroong paglipat, merong cut-off period, ito yung mawawala yung signal mo between 2-4 hours lang naman under the law, basta ang importante dito, within 48 hours, nakalipat ka na sa bagong telco.

Q: Postpaid lang po ba or pati prepaid?

SEN WIN: Prepaid at postpaid.

Q: Kasama na rin ba doon ang magiging registration ng owner ng number or iba pa?

SEN WIN: Kasama na rin doon. For example, you are postpaid, so naka-register na ang pangalan mo doon. So madali kang lumipat dahil madadala mo na ang pangalan at number mo. Kapag prepaid, you will be forced to register because paglipat mo doon, dapat alam din nila kung kanino ang number na naka-attach. The only way to do that is to identify your name. that will be covered in the IRR.

This law was conceived because we want to improve the competition and nakita namin na kahit pumasok ang third telco, kung walang ganitong batas, mahihirapan siyang kumuha ng mga customers because yung mga customers ng Globe at Smart, embedded na at mayroon na silang nakukuhang advantages sa Globe at Smart. In order for the third telco to poach customers, this will give him the capability to poach by offering low prices and better services.

Q: What do you say with the protests to the NTC over the selection process?

SEN WIN: In my opinion, NTC should be transparent because in effect, parang walang bidding na nangyari dahil hindi natin nakita ang offer ng kabila at iba pang telco. NTC should be very transparent bakit na-disqualify ang other two potential bidders. Initially, I think there were ten interested parties then na-reduce to three and then na-disqualify ang dalawa so na-reduce to one. NTC should be transparent and they have to make the public understand bakit na-disqualify, technically yung dalawa dahil baka mas maganda ang offer at services nila so hindi natin malalaman.

For me, I think the best case scenario is nagkaroon sana ng actual bidding of pricing and services because that is only the time we will know kung ano pa ang pinakamagandang offer nitong potential bidders to our consumers but now, we will never know eh.

Q: So magkakaroon din sya ng security impact kasi mas madaling matukoy kung sino ang may-ari ng cellphone number?

SEN WIN: The other effects will be ay dahil yung number dapat ay naka-register sa tao so you have to register your name. With that, it will also somehow improve the security aspect dahil ngayon ay malalaman na natin kung sino ang may-ari ng phone number na yun.

Q: Will it be mandatory?

SEN WIN: It will be in the IRR kung pano i-execute yun, that's not the main goal of the bill but it will be a requirement to the IRR.

Q: Bill about sim card registration?

SEN WIN: Meron din, ang magandang scenario dito is kung yung dalawang bill ma-approve para it will complement each other. In the IRR of this Mobile Number Portability Act, it will be a requirement for registration of the number.

Q: Kung lilipat sila ng prepaid?

SEN WIN: Hindi pa, kung lilipat lang sila, kung halimbawa wala ka naman intention lumipat [sa ibang telco] hindi pa kailangan mag pa register.

Q: When will this bill be finalized?

SEN WIN: Hopefully, latest is early next week. Bibigay namin yung clean copy by early next week.

Q: The implementation, before the year ends?

SEN WIN: Hindi kaya, mga 6 months but not longer than 6 months. I think in concept it will improve competition and the direction is to attract other players in the telecom sector. Nakikita ko naman suportado itong bill by not only the consumers but also our government because in effect mas magiging maganda yung competition sa telecom sector at bababa yung presyo and mag i-improve yung service. Signed into law?

SEN WIN: Hopefully before the year ends.

Q: Series of big time rollback in oil prices dapat ba ibaba na yung 9 pesos yung fare hike?

SEN WIN: I think meron nang possibility na ibaba na yung presyo pero pinagaaralan pa ngayon kasi mabagal rin yung pagtaas. So they are now giving the driver's a chance to recover but aabot rin sa punto kasi nakita ko yung presyo ngayon eh. Almost 70 dollars per barrel na sa world market so aabot rin yung panahon na dapat ibaba rin yung presyo because nakapeg na yung pamasahe sa global crude prices.

Q: Kalian sila mabibigyan ng chance to recover?

SEN WIN: I think another maybe 2 weeks, definitely before the year ends.