• 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
-----
- - - - - - - - -
SENATE 
SENATE BILL NO. 
219 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
As stipulated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article II, Section 24, 
clearly provides: 
"The State recognizes the vital role of communication and information 
in nation building" 
With the advent of mobile and cellular phones in the early 1980s, 
people made and received telephone calls without being tied to a specific 
location. This technological innovation made all transactions easy, faster and 
affordable. 
Mobile and cellular phone have become an essential part of many 
Filipinos lives with the number of mobile phone users increasing daily. 
However, cellular phone companies have failed to cope with the increasing 
demand for cellular phone services and the National Telecommunications 
Commission (NTC) 
has received 
numerous complaints on poor and 
sometimes "fraudulent" services of these companies. 
This bill seeks to establish minimum standards regarding the quality of 
wireless telephone service anp to monitor complaints regarding such service. 
t:..--: . 
_. -'CSI"'""'C::"1K...J -
• 
JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
SENATE 
SENATE BILL NO. 
219 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
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 of 2013". 
I 
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. Definition. - As used in this Act, the term: 
(A) 
"Public Telecommunication 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; and 
(B) 
"Commission" 
means 
the 
National 
Telecommunications 
Commission. 
SECTION 4. Establishment of Standards Regarding Quality of 
Commercial Mobile Service and Monitoring of Complaints Regarding Such 
Service. -
(A) 
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. 
(B) 
Complaint System. -
(1) 
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. 


(2) 
Toll Free Number. - Such system shall include establishment 
of a toll-free number applicable to commercial mobile service~ 
for reporting a complaint. 
(3) 
Records. - The Commission shall maintain a record of each 
complaint made under the system established pursuant to 
this Act. 
(4) 
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 
subparagraph (2) 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. 
(C) 
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 
paragraph (B), which shall -
(1) 
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 
(2) 
Indicate the types of complaints received during such period, 
including complaints 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. 
(D) 
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 ClafJse. - If any provision or part hereof 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 contrary 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,