1 Republic of the Philippines

2

3 House of Representatives
4 Quezon City

5

6 SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

a First Regular Session

8

9 House BILLNO.__2794

10

11 Introduced by Honorable Anthony M. Bravo and Honorable
12 Cresente C. Paez

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The arrival of the cellular phone in the early 1980s was a tuming 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

This bill seeks to establish minimum standards regarding the quality of wireless

telephone service and to monitor complaints regarding such service

—

©

HON. oh "EC. PAEZ



1 Republic of the Philippines

2

3 House of Representatives

4 Quezon City

=}

6 SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

Zi First Regular Session

8

9 HOUSE BILLNO._2794
10
11 Introduced by Honorable Anthony M. Bravo and Honorable
12 Cresente C. Paez

13 AN ACT
14 TO ESTABLISH MINIMUM STANDARDS REGARDING THE QUALITY
15 OF WIRELESS TELEPHONE SERVICE AND TO MONITOR

16 COMPLAINTS REGARDING SUCH SERVICE

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

7 SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Cell Phone Subscriber

18Protection Act of 2013.”

19 SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is the policy of the State to recognize the vital

20role of communication and information in nation-building,

21 SECTION 3. Definition, — As used in this Act, the term:

2 (A) “Public Telecommunications Entity” or “PTE” means any person, firm,
23 partnership or corporation, government or private, engaged in the provision
24 of telecommunications services to the public for compensation; and

25 (B) “Commission” means the National Telecommunications Commission

26 SECTION 4. Establishment of Standards Regarding Quality of Commercial Mobile

27Service and Monitoring of Complaints Regarding Such Service.

28 (A) In General. - The Commission shall, by regulation, establish such requirements as

29the Commission considers appropriate to ensure that Public Telecommunications Entities meet


Iminimum standards regarding the quality and performance of such service, which shall include

2standards regarding connection, reception, and billing practices.
3 (B) Complaint System. —

4 (1) Establishment, ~ The Commission shall establish and administer a system that makes
Savailable a procedure for any subscriber of a commercial mobile service to register a complaint

6regarding the quality or performance of the service

isk (2) Toll-Free Number. ~ Such system shall include establishment of a toll-free number

8applicable to commercial mobile services for reporting a complaint.

9 (3) Records, ¢ Commission shall maintain a record of each complaint made under

10the system established pursuant to this Act.

ul (4) Notice. ~The Commission shall require each Public Telecommunications Entity of
12commercial mobile service to include, in each subscriber's bill for such service, a statement
13informing the subscriber that a complaint regarding the quality or performance of the service
14may be registered with the Commission and providing the toll-free number under subparagraph
15(2) and an address for mailing a complaint, The Commission shall take such other actions as
lémay be appropriate to publicize the availability of the complaint system to subscribers of

17commercial mobile services.

18 (C) Reporting of Complaints to Congress. ~ Every six (6) months, the Commission shall
19submit a report to the Congress regarding complaints received under the complaint system

20required under paragraph (B), which shall ~

21 (1) Indicate the number of complaints received, during the petiod for which the report is
22made, regarding the service of the Public Telecommunications Entity for which a complaint is

23made; and

24 (2) Indicate the types of complaints received during such period, including complaints
25regarding dead spots, dropped calls, network busy signals, and improper billing practices, and

26the number of each type of complaint received during such period.


1 Upon submission to the Congress of each report under this subparagraph, the
2Commission shall make such report publicly through publication in at least two (2) newspapers

3of general circulation

4 (D) E

fect on Consumer Protection Laws, ~ This paragraph may not be construed as

Srelieving any Public Telecommunications Entities from the obligation to comply with any law,
6presidential decree of issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or

Tregulation relating to consumer protection or unfair trade

8 (E) Rules and Regulations. ~ The Commission shall prescribe such regulations as may be

necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

10 SECTION 5. Separability Clause. ~ If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain

12valid and subsisting,

13 SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. ~ Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
ldorder, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent

1Swith, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

16 SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause, — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

17publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

18

Approved,