SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 

 

FORM 6-K

Report of Foreign Private Issuer 

 

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

 

**For the month of November 2009**
 

 

**Commission File Number 1-03006**

 

 

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company
(Exact Name of Registrant asSpecified in Its Charter)

 

**Ramon****Cojuangco Building**

**Makati Avenue**

**Makati****City**

**Philippines**

(Address of principal executiveoffices)

 

 

(Indicate by check markwhether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-For Form 40-F.)

 

Form20-F      Ö                                  Form40-F

 

 

(Indicate by check markwhether by furnishing the information contained in this Form, the registrant isalso thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.)

 

Yes                                                        No       Ö

 

 

(If "Yes" ismarked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connectionwith Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________ )
****
 

 

NOTE REGARDINGFORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

Some information in this report may containforward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S.Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of1934.  We have based these forward-looking statements on our current beliefs,expectations and intentions as to facts, actions and events that will or mayoccur in the future.  Such statements generally are identified byforward-looking words such as “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “continue,”“estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “will” or other similar words.

A forward-looking statement may include astatement of the assumptions or bases underlying the forward-lookingstatement.  We have chosen these assumptions or bases in good faith.  Theseforward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions,some of which are beyond our control.  In addition, these forward-lookingstatements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are nota guarantee of future performance.  Actual results may differ materially frominformation contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of a numberof factors, including, without limitation, the risk factors set forth in“Item 3. Key Information – Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 20-Ffor the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008.  You should also keep in mind thatany forward-looking statement made by us in this report or elsewhere speaksonly as at the date on which we made it.  New risks and uncertainties come upfrom time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or howthey may affect us.  We have no duty to, and do not intend to, update or revisethe statements in this report after the date hereof.  In light of these risksand uncertainties, you should keep in mind that actual results may differmaterially from any forward-looking statement made in this report or elsewhere.

 
 

 

**EXHIBITS**
 

 

 

Exhibit Number

 

Page

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copy of the press release entitled “Asia America Gateway submarine cable goes live” that we filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 1

 

 

** **

   
 November 11, 2009 

 
 

 

The Philippine Stock Exchange
Disclosure Department

4th Floor PSECentre

Exchange Road, OrtigasCenter

Pasig City

 

Attention:        Ms.Janet A. Encarnacion

Head,Disclosure Department

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

In compliance withSection 17.1(b) and Section 17.3 of the Securities Regulation Code, we submitherewith a copy of SEC Form 17-C with a copy of a press release attachedthereto entitled “Asia America Gateway submarine cable goes live”.

 

This shall also serve asthe disclosure letter for the purpose of complying with the PSE RevisedDisclosure Rules.

 

 

Respectfully yours,

 

 

/s/ Ma. Lourdes C.Rausa-Chan

MA.LOURDES C. RAUSA-CHAN

Corporate Secretary 

 

Page 1 of 6

    

Exhibit 1

 

 

November 11,2009 

 

 

SECURITIES &EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Money MarketOperations Department

SEC Building,EDSA

Mandaluyong City

 

Attention         :           DirectorJustina F. Callangan

                                    CorporationsFinance Department

 

Gentlemen:

 

Re       :           PhilippineLong Distance Telephone Company

                        SECRegistration No. PW-55

 

In accordance withSection 17.1 (b) of the Securities Regulation Code, we submit herewith three(3) copies of SEC Form 17-C with a press release attached thereto entitled “Asia AmericaGateway submarine cable goes live”.

 

 

Very trulyyours,

 

 

/s/ Ma. Lourdes C.Rausa-Chan

MA.LOURDES C. RAUSA-CHAN

Corporate Secretary 

 

Page 2 of 6

    

Exhibit1

 

SECURITIES ANDEXCHANGE COMMISSION

 

 

SEC FORM 17-C

 

CURRENT REPORTUNDER SECTION 17

OF THESECURITIES REGULATION CODE

AND SRCRULE 17.1

 

 

 

1.                 November 11, 2009

(Date of earliest event reported)

 

2.                 SEC Identification Number  PW-55

 

3.                 BIR Tax Identification No. 000-488-793

 

4.                 PHILIPPINE LONGDISTANCE TELEPHONE COMPANY                                        

            Exactname of registrant as specified in its charter

 

5.         PHILIPPINES6. _____________ (SEC Use Only)  

           Province, country or otherjurisdiction             Industry Classification Code

of Incorporation

 

7.         9thFloor MGO Building

            Legaspicorner dela Rosa Streets, Makati City                                  1200 

     Address of principal office                                                                  PostalCode

 

8.         (632)816-8553                                           

 Registrant'stelephone number, including area code
 

9.         NotApplicable                                                               

            Formername or former address, if changed since last report

 

10.       Securitiesregistered pursuant to Sections 8 and 12 of the SRC

 

            Titleof Each Class                             Number of Shares of Common Stock

          Licensed and Amount of Debt Outstanding

 

 

Page 3 of 6

    

Exhibit 1

 

 

11.       Item9 – Other Events

 

 

Attached hereto is apress release entitled“Asia America Gateway submarine cable goes live”.

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

            Pursuantto the requirements of the Securities Regulation Code, the Registrant has dulycaused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereto dulyauthorized.

 

 

 

 

PHILIPPINE LONG DISTANCE

TELEPHONE COMPANY

 

 

/s/ Ma. Lourdes C. Rausa-Chan

MA. LOURDES C. RAUSA-CHAN

Corporate Secretary

 

 

 

Date:   November 11, 2009

 

 

 

Page 4 of 6

  Exhibit 1

 

**PRESS RELEASE**

** **

**Asia America Gateway submarine**

**cable goes live**

** **

** **

***MANILA, Philippines,November 10, 2009*** – The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and itspartners in the 20,000 km-long Asia America Gateway (AAG) submarine cablenetwork today announced the completion of its comprehensive test requirement, amilestone that now enables AAG to begin carrying commercial traffic.

 

The fully-operational20,000 km AAG cable network is the first cable system to directly link SouthEast Asia and the United States. The cable system links Malaysia, Singapore,Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Hong Kong and the Philippines to the United States,where it lands in Guam, Hawaii and California.

 

The AAG cable network hasbeen planned and designed to avoid geographically hazardous areas with knownseismic activities, increasing the reliability of the traffic between SouthEast Asia and the United States. With an initial equipped capacity of 500Gigabits per second, the cable network is upgradeable using field-tested DWDMtechnology.

 

In addition to linkingthe high growth South East Asia markets to the United States, this cablenetwork also provides seamless connectivity to Australia, India, Europe andeven Africa via common landing points/countries along its route.

 

The AAG cablenetwork will more than double the  PLDT Group’s capacity to more than 250 Gbps,improve resilience and diversity, as well as position the Group to further bringto a higher level the quality of services to customers such  as  PLDT andSmart’s broadband internet users, BPOs and call centers, as well as corporatecustomers.

The AAG consortium teamstogether with PLDT’s network team worked tirelessly to ensure that the cablenetwork was installed and implemented satisfactorily. The commissioning programincluded a full range of system testing and confidence trials in order toensure the highest levels of service for the life of the cable.

 

The AAG consortium wasformed in April 2007 to build this 2 Terabits per second fiber optic submarinecable network.   

Page 5 of 6

    

Exhibit 1

 

 

Aside from PLDT whohelped spearhead this project , the AAG consortium is composed of thefollowing: AT&T* (United States), Bayan Telecommunications Inc.(Philippines), Bharti AirTel Limited (India), Government of Brunei Darussalam(Brunei), British Telecom Global Network Services (UK), CAT Telecom PCL(Thailand), Eastern Telecommunications Philippines Inc. (Philippines), FPTTelecom (Vietnam), PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Indonesia),Saigon Postel Corporation (Vietnam), StarHub (Singapore), Telekom Malaysia(Malaysia), Telcotech Limited (Cambodia), Telstra (Australia), Telecom NewZealand International (New Zealand), Viettel (Vietnam), and Vietnam Post &Telecommunications Group (Vietnam).

 

 

XXX

**About PLDT**

PLDT is the leadingtelecommunications service provider in the Philippines. Through its threeprincipal business groups – wireless, fixed line, and information andcommunications technology – PLDT offers the largest and most diversified rangeof telecommunications services across the Philippines’ most extensive fiberoptic backbone and wireless, fixed line and satellite networks.

PLDTis listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE:TEL) and its AmericanDepositary Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:PHI).  PLDThas one of the largest market capitalizations among Philippine-listedcompanies.

 

Furtherinformation can be obtained by visiting the web at www.pldt.com.ph.

 

 

**Contact persons:**

** **

**Ramon R. Isberto**

PLDT Spokesperson

Tel. No.: +63 2 5113101

Fax No.: +63 2 5113100

** **

** **

**Horace A. Lavides**

PLDT Senior Manager

Tel. No.: +63 2 8168684

Email: halavides@pldt.com.ph

* *

* *

* *

**AT&T products and services are providedor offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&Tbrand and not by AT&T Inc*

 

 

Page 6 of 6

    

 

Signatures

 

 

Pursuantto the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant hasduly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

PHILIPPINE LONG DISTANCE

TELEPHONE COMPANY

 

 

By        :           /s/ Ma. Lourdes C. Rausa-Chan

Name  :      Ma. Lourdes C. Rausa-Chan

Title     :     Senior Vice President, Corporate 

                  Affairs and Legal Services Head

                        and Corporate Secretary

 

 

 

Date:November 11, 2009