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Republic of the Philippines  
House of Representatives 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. ___________ 
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Introduced by Representative Jose Enrique S. Garcia III 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Aspire Media Technologies and Ventures, Inc. is a corporation duly 
organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. It aims to 
engage in the business of providing Information and Technology Services and 
operate as a Value Added Service Provider (VASP); to provide enhanced services 
which improve upon the quality and/or functionality of services beyond those 
ordinarily offered and provided for by local exchange and inter-exchange operators 
and overseas carriers through circuit switched networks; to contract for and engage 
in consultancy, installation, programming, systems integration, project management 
systems development and implementation, network and facilities management, 
application hosting, web-based electronic forms hosting, electronic commerce 
training, and other services in connection with or related to the use of Information 
Technology Services; to engage in the development, production, sale, lease, 
distribution, licensing, installation, and maintenance of software, applications and 
peripheral and services to both domestic and export markets; to establish, maintain, 
and sell subscription to a value-added network; to act as an Internet Service 
Provider (ISP); to market, sell and distribute satellite transmission services and to 
offer hosting and dial-up leased line access to clients and to engage in and perform 
such other acts that are necessary to implement the conduct of the business. 
The current state of the telecommunications industry in the country where a 
virtual duopoly prevails while the quality of service remains unsatisfactory despite 
efforts to fast track the entry of a third provider, necessitates the opening of the 
industry to other players which can offer viable alternatives to encourage 
competition in the delivery of better-quality service. This is consistent with the 
State’s recognition of the indispensable role of the private sector and the vital role 
of communication and information in nation-building. It is likewise in harmony the 
responsibility of the State to encourage private enterprise and provide incentives to 
needed investments. 
July 29, 2021
1:18 pm
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Along the foregoing premises, this bill seeks to grant Aspire Media 
Technologies and Ventures, Inc. a franchise to construct, install, establish, operate, 
and maintain for commercial purposes and in the public interest, throughout the 
Province of Bataan, the Province of Zambales, and the City of Olongapo, and 
between the aforementioned territories with other provinces in the Philippines and 
other countries and jurisdictions, wired and/or wireless telecommunications systems 
including mobile, cellular, fixed line, paging, trunked radio, fiber optics, multi-channel 
multipoint distribution system (MMDS), local multi-point distribution system (LMDS), 
satellite transmit and receive systems, switches, and value added services such as 
transmission of voice, data, images, facsimile, control signs, audio and video, and 
all other telecommunication systems technologies as are present available or will 
be made available through technological advances or innovations in the future. The 
franchise shall likewise allow the applicant to construct, acquire, lease, and operate 
or manage transmitting and receiving stations, landing stations of submarine cables, 
lines, systems, or other cables as it may consider necessary and convenient to 
efficiently carry out the purpose for which the franchise is applied for. 
The grant of the franchise applied for will enable the applicant to support in 
the government’s effort to modernize the telecommunications industry, elevate the 
level and quality of service and provide a desirable alternative to the public at 
affordable rates.  
Support for this bill is earnestly requested from my colleagues. 
              REP. JOSE ENRIQUE S. GARCIA III 
   Second District, Bataan 


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Republic of the Philippines  
House of Representatives 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. _____________
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Introduced by Representative Jose Enrique S. Garcia III 
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AN ACT 
GRANTING ASPIRE MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES AND VENTURES, 
INC., A FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT, INSTALL, ESTABLISH, 
OPERATE AND MAINTAIN TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS IN 
THE PROVINCE OF BATAAN, THE PROVINCE OF ZAMBALES, 
AND THE CITY OF OLONGAPO  
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Nature and Scope of Franchise. - Subject to the provisions of 
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the Constitution and applicable laws, rules and regulations, the franchise granted to 
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ASPIRE MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES AND VENTURES, INC., hereunder referred to 
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as the grantee, its successor or assignees, a franchise to construct, install, 
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establish, operate, and maintain for commercial purposes and in the public interest, 
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throughout the Province of Bataan, the Province of Zambales, and the City of 
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Olongapo and between the aforementioned territories with the other provinces 
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throughout the Philippines and other countries and jurisdictions, wired and/or 
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wireless telecommunications systems including international and domestic 
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submarine cable landing stations, mobile, cellular, fixed line, paging, trunked radio, 
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fiber optics, multi-channel multipoint distribution system (MMDS), local multi-point 
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distribution system (LMDS), satellite transmit and receive systems, switches, 
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electronic telecommunications or electronic communications services in or outside 
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the Province of Bataan, the Province of Zambales, and the City of Olongapo and 
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value added services such as transmission of voice, data, images, facsimile, control 
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signs, audio and video, and all other telecommunication systems technologies as 
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are present available or will be made available through technological advances or 
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innovations in the future; or construct, acquire, lease, and operate or manage 
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transmitting and receiving stations, landing stations of submarine cables, lines, 
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systems, or other cables as it may consider necessary and convenient to efficiently 
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carry out the purpose of this franchise. 
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SEC. 2.  Manner of Operation of Stations or Facilities. – The stations or 
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facilities of the grantee shall be constructed and operated in a manner as will, at 
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most, result only in the minimum interference on the wavelengths or frequencies of 
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existing stations or other stations which may be established by law, without in any 
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way diminishing its own privilege to use its assigned wavelengths or frequencies 
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and the quality of transmission or reception thereon as should maximize rendition 
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of the grantee’s services and/or the availability thereof. 
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SEC. 3. Authority of the National Telecommunications Commission. – The 
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grantee shall secure from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) a 
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Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity or the appropriate permits and 
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licenses for the construction, installation and operation of its telecommunications 
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systems or facilities. In issuing the certificate, the NTC shall have the power to 
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regulate and impose such conditions relative to the construction, operation, 
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maintenance, or service level of the telecommunications systems or facilities. Such 
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certificate shall state the areas covered and the date the grantee shall commence 
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the service. The grantee shall not use any frequency in the radio spectrum without 
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authorization from the NTC. The NTC, however, shall not unreasonably withhold or 
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delay the grant of any such authority, permit or license.  
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In case of any violation of the provisions of this franchise, the NTC shall have 
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the authority to revoke, suspend, after due process, the permits of licenses it issued 
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pursuant to the franchise. The NTC may recommend to the Congress of the 
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Philippines (Congress) the revocation of the franchise for any violation of the 
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provisions of this franchise. 
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SEC. 4. Excavation and Restoration Works. – For the purpose of erecting 
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and maintaining poles or other supports for said wires or other conductors for the 
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purpose of laying and maintaining underground wires, cables, or other conductors, 
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it shall be lawful for the grantee, its successors or assignees, with the prior approval 
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of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) or the local government 
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unit (LGU) concerned, as may be appropriate, to make excavations of lay conduits 
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in any of the public places, roads, highways, streets, lanes, alleys, avenues, 
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sidewalks, or bridges of the province, cities, or municipalities: Provided, however, 
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That a public place, road, highway, street, lane, alley, avenue, sidewalk, or bridge 
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disturbed, altered or changed by reason of erection of poles or other supports or the 
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underground laying of wires, other conductors or conduits, shall be repaired and 
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replaced in workmanlike manner by the grantee, its successors or assignees, in 
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accordance with the standards set by the DPWH or the LGU concerned. Should the 
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grantee, its successors or assignees, after the  ten (10)-day notice from the said 
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authority, fail, refuse, or neglect to repair or replace any part if public place, road, 
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highway, street, lane, alley, avenue, sidewalk, or bridge altered, changed or 
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disturbed by the said grantee, its successors or assignees, then the DPWH or the 
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LGU concerned shall have the right to have the same repaired and placed in good 
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order and condition, and charge the grantee, its successors or assignees at double 
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the amount of the costs and expenses for such repair of replacement. 
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SEC. 5. Responsibility to the Public. - The grantee shall conform to the ethics 
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of honest enterprise and not use its stations of facilities for obscene or indecent 
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transmission, or for the dissemination of deliberately false information, or willful 
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misrepresentation, or assist in subversive or treasonable acts. 
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The grantee shall operate and maintain all its stations, lines, cables, systems, 
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and equipment for the transmission and reception of messages, signals, and pulses, 
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in a satisfactory manner at all times, and as far as economical and practicable, 
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modify, improve, or change such stations, lines, cables, systems, and equipment to 
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keep abreast with the advances in science and technology. 
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The grantee shall improve and extend its services in areas not yet served, 
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and in hazard-and typhoon-prone areas that shall be determined by the National 
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Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, or its legal successor, in 
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coordination with the NTC. 
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The grantee shall also improve and upgrade its equipment, facilities and 
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services, in order to ensure effective compliance with the objective of Republic Act 
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No. 10639, or the “Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act”. 
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SEC. 6. Rates for Services. – The charges and rates for telecommunications 
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services of the grantee, except the rates and charges on those that may hereafter 
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be declared or considered as nonregulated services, whether flat rates or measured 
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rates or variation thereof, shall be subject to the approval of the NTC or its legal 
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successor. The rates charged by the grantee shall be unbundled, separable and 
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distinct among the services offered and shall be determined in such a manner that 
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regulated services do not subsidize the unregulated ones. 
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SEC. 7. Right of Government. -  The radio spectrum is a finite resource that 
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is part f the national patrimony, and the use thereof is a privilege conferred upon the 
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grantee by the State that may be withdrawn any time after due process. 
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A special right is hereby reserved to the President of the Philippines, in times 
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of war, rebellion, public peril, calamity, emergency, disaster or disturbance of peace 
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and order, to temporarily take over and operate the stations, transmitters, facilities 
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or equipment of the grantee, or to temporarily suspend the operation of any station, 
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transmitter, facility, or equipment in the interest of public safety, security and public 
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welfare; or to authorize the temporary use and operation thereof by any agency of 
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the government, upon due compensation to the grantee, for the use of said stations, 
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transmitters, facilities, or equipment during the period when these shall be so 
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operated. 
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SEC.  8. Term of Franchise. – This franchise shall be in effect for a period of 
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twenty-five (25) years from the effectivity of the Act, unless sooner cancelled. This 
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franchise shall be deemed ipso facto revoked in the event the grantee fails to comply 
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with any of the following conditions: 
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(a) 
Commence operations within three (3) years from the approval of its 
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operating permit by the NTC; 
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(b) 
Commence operations within five (5) years from the effectivity of this 
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Act; and 
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(c) 
Operate continuously for two (2) years. 
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SEC. 9. Bond. -  The grantee shall file a bond with the NTC, in the amount 
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that the NTC shall determine, to guarantee compliance with and fulfillment of the 
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conditions under which this franchise is granted. If, after (3) years from the date of 
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approval of its permit by the NTC, the grantee shall have fulfilled the same, the bond 
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shall be released by the NTC. Otherwise, the bond shall be forfeited in favor of the 
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government and the franchise ipso facto revoked. 
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SEC. 10. Right of Interconnection. – The grantee is hereby authorized to 
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connect of demand connection of its telecommunications systems to other 
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telecommunications systems installed, operated, and maintained by any other duly 
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authorized person or entity in the Philippines for the purpose of providing extended 
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and improved telecommunications services to the public, under the terms and 
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conditions mutually agreed upon by the parties concerned. This right shall be 
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subject to the review and modification of the NTC. 
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SEC. 11. Mobile Number Portability. – The grantee shall provide mobile 
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number portability (MNP) and its implementing mechanism, and shall interconnect, 
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directly or indirectly, with the infrastructure, facilities, systems, or equipment of other 
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telecommunications franchise grantees. It shall not install network features, 
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functions, or capabilities that will impede the implementation of a nationwide MNP 
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system. The NTC shall issue rules and regulations for this purpose, the effectivity of 
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which shall commence upon applicability with other telecommunications franchise 
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grantees. 
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SEC. 12. Warranty in Favor of National and Local Governments. - The 
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grantee shall hold the national, provincial, city and municipal governments of the 
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Philippines free from all claims, accounts, demands, or actions arising out of 
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accidents or injuries, whether to property or to persons, caused by the construction 
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or operation of the stations of the grantee. 
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SEC. 13. Sale, Lease, Transfer, Grant of Usufruct, or Assignment of 
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Franchise. - The grantee shall not lease, transfer, grant the usufruct of, sell nor 
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assign this franchise or the rights and privileges acquired thereunder to any person, 
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firm, company, corporation or other commercial or legal entity, nor merge with any 
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other corporation or entity, nor shall transfer the controlling interest of the grantee, 
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whether as a whole or in parts, and whether simultaneously or contemporaneously, 
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to any person, firm, company, corporation or entity without the prior approval of the 
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Congress of the Philippines. 
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Congress shall be informed of any sale, lease, transfer, grant of usufruct of, 
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or assignment of franchise or the rights or privileges acquired thereunder, or the 
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merger or transfer of the controlling interest of the grantee, within sixty (60) days 
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after the completion of said transaction. Failure to report to Congress such change 
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of ownership shall render the franchise ipso facto revoked. Any person or entity to 
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which this franchise is sold, transferred or assigned, shall be subject to the same 
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conditions, terms, restrictions, and limitations of this Act. 
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SEC. 14. Dispersal of Ownership. -  In accordance with the constitutional 
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provision to encourage public participation in public utilities, the grantee shall offer 
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to Filipino citizens at least thirty per cent (30%) or a higher percentage that may 
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hereafter be provided by law of its outstanding capital stock in any securities 
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exchange in the Philippines within five (5) years from the commencement of its 
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operations:  Provided, That  in cases where public offer of shares is not applicable 
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or in lieu thereof, establishment of or ownership by cooperative/s and other methods 
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of encouraging public participation by citizens and corporations operating public 
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utilities must be implemented. Noncompliance therewith shall render the franchise 
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ipso facto revoked.  
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SEC. 15. Commitment to Provide and Promote the Creation of Employment 
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Opportunities. – The grantee shall create employment opportunities and accept on-
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the-job trainees in the franchise operations: Provided, That priority shall be accorded 
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to the residents of the place where the principal office of the grantee is located: 
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Provided further, That the grantee shall ensure that at least sixty percent (60%) of 
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its employees are regular employees, and in no case shall the percentage of 
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contractual employees, job order and casual employees, and independent 
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contractors combined, exceed forty percent (40%) of its total workforce: Provided, 
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finally, That the grantee shall comply with the applicable labor standards and 
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allowance entitlement under existing labor laws, rules and regulations, and similar 
1 
issuances. 
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The employment opportunities or jobs created shall be reflected in the 
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General Information Sheet (GIS) to be submitted to the Securities and Exchange 
4 
Commission (SEC) annually. In addition, the grantee shall include in its annual 
5 
report to Congress the number of its regularized employees and secure a 
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compliance and clearance certificate from the Department of Labor and 
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Employment and its relevant attached agencies. 
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SEC. 16. Reportorial Requirement.  – The grantee shall submit an annual 
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report on its compliance with the terms and conditions of the franchise and on its 
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operations to Congress, through the Committee on Legislative Franchises of the 
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House of Representatives and the Committee on Public Services of the Senate, on 
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or before April 30 of every year during the term of its franchise.  
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The annual report shall include an update on roll-out, development, operation 
14 
and/or expansion of business; audited financial statement statements; latest GIS 
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officially submitted to the SEC, if applicable; certification of the NTC on the status of 
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its permits and operations; and an update on the dispersal of ownership 
17 
undertaking, if applicable. 
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 The reportorial compliance certificate issued by Congress shall be required 
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before any application for permit or certificate is accepted by the NTC. 
20 
 
SEC. 17.  Fine – The failure of the grantee to submit the requisite annual 
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report to Congress will be penalized with a fine in the amount of Five hundred pesos 
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(P500.00) per working day of noncompliance, the effectivity of which shall 
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commence upon applicability with other telecommunications franchise grantees. 
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The fine will be collected by the NTC from the delinquent franchise grantee separate 
25 
from the reportorial penalties imposed by the NTC. 
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SEC. 18. Equality Clause. - Any advantage, favor, privilege, exemption, or 
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immunity granted under existing franchises, or which may hereafter be granted for 
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telecommunications, upon prior review and approval of Congress, shall become part 
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of this franchise and shall be accorded immediately and unconditionally to the herein 
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grantee: Provided, That the foregoing shall neither apply to nor affect the provisions 
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of broadcasting franchises concerning territory covered by the franchise, the life 
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span of the franchise or the type of service authorized by the franchise.   
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SEC. 19.  Repealability and Nonexclusivity Clause.  – This franchise shall be 
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subject to amendment, alteration, or repeal by the Congress of the Philippines when 
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the public interest so requires and shall not be interpreted as an exclusive grant of 
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the privileges herein provided for. 
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SEC. 20. Separability Clause. – If any of the sections or provisions of this Act 
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is held invalid, all other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid. 
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SEC. 21. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, resolutions, 
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instructions, rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are 
10 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or 
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modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 22. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
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Approved,