Press Release
June 18, 2009

Shape up or ship out: Gordon to telcos

Senator Richard J. Gordon (Ind.) has advised telecommunications companies or telcos that they have to shape up or ship out of the business industry.

Gordon, author of Senate Bill 2402 or the Health and Education Acceleration Program (HEAP) which aims to address the problems facing the country's educational system, pointed out that telcos have already amassed huge profits at the expense of the public.

"Ang dami-daming promotions ng mga telcos, hindi na nila nakikita kung paano matutulungan ang tao sa promotion nila. They have already made their profit. They really have to shape up or ship out," he said.

The senator gave the advice at the Senate hearing arising from Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile's complaint on cases of cellular phone loads that disappear though unused by a subscriber which he, himself, had been one of the victims.

Gordon said the Senate could revisit the franchise of telcos because they are already being devious with their numerous promotions that not only rob the people but also invade their privacy. A subscriber gets all kinds of unauthorized messages and pays P1 at the very least if he or she replies.

"Kung ang business na ginagawa nila ay talagang labag na sa batas, sala-salabat ang promotions na nakakaltasan ang tao, nadudukutan ang tao, nagpapakalat na ng blockbuster na masasama sa mga bata, iba't ibang spam at political ads ang pumapasok tapos pag-reply mo piso na agad," he said.

"It took the Senate president, the third highest official in the land, na i-expose ang mga nangyayaring walang regulasyon na talagang kawawa ang publiko. So you better take this seriously, because I personally take umbrage at this scenario. It's time for Congress to revisit your franchise and a franchise is only a privilege. Hindi pwedeng gamitin ninyo sa lahat ng kabuktutan na pwedeng gawin na makakalusot kayo, nakakaisa kayo," he added.

The senator pointed out that because of the lax regulation, seedy videos such as scandals could be spread easily through cellphones that they even reach teenagers.

Appalled by the sad plight of the country's health and educational system, Gordon filed the HEAP bill, under which a portion of telcos' net revenue from text messages would be used to fill the gap in the health care and educational requirements

"Ang gusto ko sabihin sa inyo, ang laki-laki na ng negosyong ito, in fact, ang isang gusto kong ipasok dito ay obligahin kayo na magbigay sa kita niyo sa two billion text messages a day. Ibalik ang binibigay sa inyo ng tao. Bukod dun sa mga basketball team, bukod dun sa expansion ninyo, which is good, maglagay kayo sa edukasyon at kalusugan," he said

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