FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 8 2 8 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to promote the widespread use and deployment of Voice 
Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) as an aid in lowe,fing communication costs so that 
overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) can easily and more frequently contact their 
families and so that local companies such as business process outsourcing 
(BPO) firms can enhance their competitiveness in the global economy. 
VOIP has emerged as a welcome enhancement to traditional voice 
service in the early 21 st century. It enables users from different parts of the world 
to engage in voice conversations without having to pass through circuit switched 
facilities of telecom companies. In the end, this would translate to lower 
communication costs on the part of the consumer, value for their money on the 
part of OFWs, and lower costs of communicating with overseas clients on the 
part of exporters and BPOs. On the part of the_ telecommunication industry, the 
VOIP technology will increase competition and competitiveness and introduce 
borderless technology. 
While it is imperative to enhance the innovation, development and 
deployment of VOIP by promoting free and equitable competition and 
encouraging investments and innovation in the leT sector, there is a need to 
protect consumers, provide them wider choices and promote their welfare, which 
is addressed as well by this bill. 
. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Lv· ", 
First Regular Session 
). 
Hi JIl -8 AS:22 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 828 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO PROMOTE AND GOVERN THE DEVELOPMENT 
OF VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL IN THE PHILIPPINES 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
ARTICLE I 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SECTION 1 . Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine 
VOIP Act of 2010". 
SEC. 2. Scope and Application. - This Act shall apply to any person or 
entity seeking to provide Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services to the 
public for compensation. 
SEC. 3. Definitions. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms, where 
used shall have the following meaning: 
(a) Public telecommunications entity (PTE) -
any person, firm, 
partnership or corporation, government or private, engaged in the provision of 
telecommunications services to the public for compensation; 
(b) Value-added service (VAS) - enranced services beyond those 
ordinarily provided for by local exchange and inter-exchange operators, and 
overseas carriers, where "ordinarily provided" services shall mean voice services 
offered through circuit switched networks; 
(c) Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) -
provision of voice 
communication using Internet Protocol (IP) technology, instead of traditional 
circuit switched technology: 
(d) Customer Premises Equipment (GPE) - equipment located in the 
premises of a customer which is not part of but connected to the system or 
network of the PTE. 
ARTICLE II 
POLICY AND OBJECTIVES 


SEC. 4. Declaration of National Policy. - It is the policy of the State to 
recognize the role and contribution of communications in nation building. It is 
likewise the policy of the State to recognize the need to (1) provide for the 
emergence of communications structure suitable to the needs and aspirations of 
the nation, and (2) encourage the development· of new applications and services 
that can enhance Philippine competitiveness in the global information and 
communications technology (ICT) market. 
The growth and development of voice, over internet protocol shall be 
pursued in accordance with the following objectives: 
(a) To protect, promote and develop any and all modes, means and forms 
of communications, and make the same available and accessible to the general 
public; 
(b) To encourage the growth, development and sustenance of VOIP as an 
alternative mode of communications; and 
(c) 
To 
foster 
a 
healthy 
competitive 
environment 
in 
which 
telecommunication companies and internet service providers are free to interact 
with one another in providing VOIP while maintaining affordable rates and 
ensuring their financial viability. 
ARTICLE III : 
ADMINISTRATION 
SEC. 
5. 
Responsibilities of the National Telecommunications 
Commission (NTC). The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) shall 
be the principal administrator of this Act and as such shall take the necessary 
measures to implement the policies and objectives set forth in this Act. 
SEC. 6. Registration. - Any person or entity seeking to provide VOIP for 
use by the public for compensation shall register as such with the NTC prior to 
operation as VOIP provider. 
SEC. 7. Interconnection. - No value-added service provider shall provide 
VOIP services which require access to and/or use of a network provider's 
network, facilities and/or equipment unless it has entered into an agreement with 
such network provider as to the term and conditions of fair and reasonable 
access and or interconnection charges for such access and/or use. 
In cases where the VAS provider and network provider refuse to negotiate 
or are unable to come to an agreement on the interconnection of their network, 
the NTC shall, upon the complaint of any interested party or upon its own 
initiative, intervene and assume jurisdiction over the matter and immediately 
direct physical interconnection of the network of the parties under such terms and 
conditions it may deem proper under the circumstances. 
Nothing in this Act shall, however, prevent the parries from negotiating 
and executing an interconnection agreement and submitting the same to the 
NTC for approval. 
For this purpose, the parties shall be given a period of ninety (90) days 
from receipt of notice of the filing of the complaint within which to negotiate and 
execute an interconnection agreement; Provided, that until an interconnection 


agreement is executed the interconnection mandate adverted to in the 
immediately preceding paragraph shall remain 
in full force and effect. 
SEC. 8. Equal Access. - Network providers shall .ensure equal access in 
terms of quantity and quality, at the same prices for substantially similar service 
to VAS providers, and shall not discriminate between VAS providers. The parties 
shall submit a copy of their agreements on· these matters for purposes of 
monitoring and supervision by the NTC. 
. 
No public telecommunications entity, network provider or other entity 
providing internet access to subscribers and VAS providers shall impede or 
degrade the access of such subscribers and VAS providers to the internet 
content of another application or service providers, except where such access 
demonstrably threatens the integrity of their network or facilities. 
SEC. 9. Customer Premises Equipment. - The sale, lease, importation, 
distribution And/or provision of CPE designed to enable or ease the use of VOIP 
shall be governed by the existing rules and regulations on CPEs. CPEs and/or 
accessories designed to enable or ease the use of VOIP not directly connected 
to the networks of PTEs shall not require type approval or acceptance except 
when the VOIP equipment and/or accessories use radio spectrum. 
SEC. 10. Subscribers' Rights. -
Network and/or internet service 
providers shall not require subscribers to purchase or use or to refrain from 
purchasing or using any IP-enabled service as a precondition to obtaining their 
broadband service. 
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be 
held unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof that are not: affected 
thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. -All laws, presidential decrees, executive 
orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are not consistent with this 
Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,