THRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 24, provides: 
The State recognizes the vital role of communication and information in 
nation-building. 
The arrival of the cellular phone in the early 1980s was a turning point in 
telecommunications. For the first time, people made and received telephone calls without being 
tied to a specific location. 
Cellular phones have become an essential part of many Filipinos lives with the number of 
cellular phone users increasing daily. However, cellular phones companies have failed to cope 
with the increasing demand for cellular phone services, and National Telecommunications 
Commission has received numerous complaints on poor services by these companies. 
Hence, this bill seeks to establish minimum standards regarding the quality of wireless 
telephone service and to monitor complaints regarding such service. 
@ 
MIRIAM DEFEN~OR SANTIAGO 


. 
’. , 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
- 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH MINIMUM STANDARDS REGARDING THE QUALITY OF WIRELESS 
TELEPHONE SERVICE AND TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS REGARDING SUCH 
SERVICE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Cell Phone Subscriber 
Protection Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to recognize the vital 
role of communication and information in nation-building. 
SECTION 3. Dejnition. -As used in this Act, the term: 
(1) “Public Telecommunications Entity” or “PTE” means any person, firm, 
partnership or corporation, government or private, engaged in the provision of 
telecommunications services to the public for compensation. 
(2) “Commission” means the National Telecommunications Commission. 
SECTION 4. Establishment of Standards Regarding Quality of Commercial Mobile 
Service and Monitoring of Complaints Regarding Such Service. - 
(1) IN GENERAL - The Commission shall, by regulation, establish such 
requirements as the Commission considers appropriate to ensure that Public 
Telecommunications Entities meet minimum standards regarding the quality and 


performance of such service, which shall include standards regarding connection, 
reception, and billing practices. 
(2) COMPLAINT SYSTEM - 
(A) ESTABLISHMENT - The Commission shall establish and administer 
a system that makes available a procedure for any subscriber of a commercial 
mobile service to register a complaint regarding the quality or performance of the 
service. 
(B) TOLL-FREE NUMBER - Such system shall include establishment of 
a toll-free number applicable to commercial mobile services for reporting a 
complaint. 
(C) RECORDS - The Commission shall maintain a record of each 
complaint made under the system established pursuant to this Act. 
(D) NOTICE - The Commission shall require 
each Public 
Telecommunications Entity of commercial mobile service to include, in each 
subscriber’s bill for such service, a statement informing the subscriber that a 
complaint regarding the quality or performance of the service may be registered 
with the Commission and providing the toll-free number under clause (B) and an 
address for mailing a complaint. The Commission shall take such other actions as 
may be appropriate to publicize the availability of the complaint system to 
subscribers of commercial mobile services. 
(3) REPORTING OF COMPLAINTS TO CONGRESS - Every six (6) months, 
the Commission shall submit a report to the Congress regarding complaints received 
under the complaint system required under subparagraph (2), which shall - 
(A) indicate the number of complaints received, during the period for 
which the report is made, regarding the service of the Public Telecommunications 
Entity for which a complaint is made; and 
(B) indicate the types of complaints received during such period, including 
coniplaints regarding dead spots, dropped calls, network busy signals, and 


improper billing practices, and the number of each type of complaint received 
during such period. 
Upon submission to the Congress of each report under this subparagraph, 
the Commission shall make such report publicly through publication in at least 
two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
(4) EFFECT ON CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS - This paragraph may not 
be construed as relieving any Public Telecommunications Entities from the obligation to 
comply with any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of 
instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation relating to consumer protection or 
unfair trade. 
(E) RULES AND REGULATIONS - The Commission shall prescribe such 
regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrav to, or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
12207