PCC seeks lifting of TRO blocking review of p70-B SMC telco deal

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has refused to heed the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Court of Appeals blocking its planned review of PLDT and Globe Telecom’s deal with San Miguel Corp. for the acquisition of Vega Telecom Inc., New Century Telecoms and eTelco Inc.

In a petition filed on April 18 before the Supreme Court through the Solicitor General, the PCC sought the lifting of the TRO that has prevented a review of the billion-peso deal.

PCC Chair Arsenio Balisacan insisted that they “would not back down or be intimidated by companies who had grown accustomed to unregulated business practices that hamper competition and ultimately hurt the consumers.”

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) approved in May 2016 the co-use by PLDT and Globe of the 700-megahertz frequencies held by Vega’s units following the massive P70-billion transaction.

NTC Deputy Commissioner Cabarios cited the deal and the co-use of frequencies as a “clear benefit to the public.”

The frequencies which SMC held were unutilized for so long.

Meanwhile, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has prioritized the national broadband network program and urged PLDT and Globe to continue to build the infrastructure needed as well as utilize their spectrum allocations to improve internet speed in the country.

Only NTC and DICT are the mandated regulators and policy-setting agencies overseeing the telco and information, and communication technology industries.

Under its charter, the NTC regulates and supervises the provision of public telecommunications services and manages the radio spectrum, among others.

The newly formed DICT was created by President Duterte to be the primary policy planning, coordinating, implementing and administrative entity of the executive branch.