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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S. No. _1=5-",,6-,7_ 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, 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 phone companies 
have failed to cope with the increasing demand for cellular phone services, and the National 
Telecommlmications Commission has received numerous complaints on poor services by these 
companies. 
This bill seeks to establish minimmn standards regarding the quality of mobile phone. 
service and the monitoring of complaints regarding such service. * 
, This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 
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~£lliltl.' 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
'Qfh;, ~f til' ~tn't.,~ 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 1567 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
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SEP -5 P 5 :33 
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ESTABLISHING MINIMUM STANDARDS REGARDING THE QUALITY 
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OF MOBILE PHONE SERVICES AND THE MONITORING OF COMPLAINTS 
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REGARDING SUCH SERVICE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Mobile 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, 
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partnership, 
or 
corporation, 
government or private, engaged in the provision of 
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telecommunications services to the public for compensation; 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 
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that makes available a procedure for any subscriber of a commercial mobile 
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service to register a complaint regarding the quality or performance of the 
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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 
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such service, a statement informing the subscriber that a complaint 
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regarding the quality or perfOlmance of the service may be registered with 
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the Commission and providing the toll-tree number under subparagraph (2) 
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and an address for mailing a complaint. The Commission shall take such 
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, 
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other actions as may be appropriate to publicize the availability of the 
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complaint system to subscribers of commercial mobile services, 
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(C) 
Reporting of Complaints to Congress, - The Commission shall submit an annual 
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report to Congress regarding complaints received under the complaint system required under 
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paragraph (B), which shall -
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(1) 
Indicate 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 
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Entity for which 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 
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improper billing practices, and the number of each type of complaint 
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received during such period, Upon submission to the Congress of each 
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report under this subparagraph, the Commission shall make such report 
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available publicly through publication in at least two (2) newspapers of 
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general circulation. 
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(D) 
Effect on t;:onsumer 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, 
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or regulation relating to consumer protection or unfair trade. 
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(E) 
Rules and Regulations. - The Commission shall prescribe such rules and 
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regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
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SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or 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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