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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
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Hi JUG -3 Iim:17 
SENATll 
S. No. 2\S09 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article II, 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 m 
telecommunications. For the first time, people made and received telephone calls without being 
(ied 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. 
This bill seeks to establish minimum standards regarding the quality of wireless 
telephone service and to monitor complaints regarding such service.' 
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MIRIAM DEF\1'1S0R SANTI¥,O 
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• This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OFFlACe :,,; '; ~ .-
srCi{E<I.~'T' 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
2309 
S.No. 
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AN ACT 
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(lUG ,-3 
1\10 :17 
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TO ESTABLISH MINIMUM STANDARDS REGARDING THE QUALITY OF WIRELESS 
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TELEPHONE SERVICE AND TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS REGARDING SUCH 
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SERVICE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Cell Phone Subscriber 
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Protection Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to recognize the vital 
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role of communication and information in nation-building. 
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SECTION 3. Definition. - As used in this Act, the term: 
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(A) "Public Telecommunications Entity" or "PTE" means any person, firm, partnership 
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or 
corporation, 
government 
or private, 
engaged 
in 
the 
provision of 
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telecommunications services to the public for compensatioI;\; and 
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(B) "Commission" means the National Telecommunications Commission. 
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SECTION 4. Establishment of Standards Regarding Quality of Commercial Mobile 
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Service and Monitoring of Complaints Regarding Such Service. -
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(A) In General. - The Commission shall, by regulation, establish such requirements as 
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the Commission considers appropriate to ensure that Public Telecommunications Entities meet 
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minimum standards regarding the quality and performance of such service, which shall include 
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standards regarding connection, reception, and billing practices. 
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(B) Complaint System. -
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(1) Establishment. - The Commission shall establish and administer a system that 
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makes available a procedure for any subscriber of a commercial mobile service to register 
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a complaint regarding the quality or performance of the service. 
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(2) Toll-Free Number. - Such system shall include establishment of a toll-free 
, 
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number applicable to commercial mobile services for reporting a complaint. 
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(3) Records. - The Commission shall maintain a record of each complaint made 
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under the system established pursuant to this Act.\ 
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(4) Notice. - The Commission shall require each Public Telecommunications 
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Entity of commercial mobile service to include, in each subscriber's bill for such service, 
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a statement informing the subscriber that a complaint regarding the quality or 
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performance of the service may be registered with the Commission and providing the 
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toll-free number under subparagraph (2) and an address for mailing a complaint. The 
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Commission shall take such other actions as may be appropriate to publicize the 
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availability of the complaint system to subscribers of commercial mobile services. 
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(C) Reporting of Complaints to Congress. - Every six (6) months, the Commission shall 
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submit a report to the Congress regarding complaints received under the complaint system 
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required under paragraph (B), which sha11-
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(1) lndicate the number of complaints received, during the period for which the 
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report is made, regarding the service of the Public Telecommunications Entity for which 
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a complaint is made; and 
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(2) Indicate the types of complaints received during such period, including 
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complaints regarding dead spots, dropped calls, network busy signals, and improper 
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billing practices, and the number of each type of complaint received during slich period. 
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Upon submission to the Congress of each report under this subparagraph, the 
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Commission shall make such report publicly through pUblication in at least two (2) 
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newspapers of general circulation. 
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(D) Effect on Consumer Protection Laws. - This paragraph may not be construed as 
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relieving any Public Telecommunications Entities from the obligation to comply with any law, 
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presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or 
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regulation relating to consumer protection or unfair trade. 
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(E) Rules and Regulations. - The Commission shall prescribe such regulations as may be 
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necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
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SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
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with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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