NTC sees record revenue this year

MANILA, Philippines—The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is set to end the year with record revenue, thanks to tighter fiscal management and improved collections, officials said over the weekend.

In a statement, the telecom sector regulator said it might post some P4.3 billion in revenue by the end of this year, up by more than 16 percent from P3.681 billion in 2010.

The entire amount, less the NTC’s annual expenses of about P300 million, will be remitted to state coffers, helping in the administration’s efforts to increase revenue collections and cut government debt levels.

The NTC said it had already breached its P3.85-billion target for 2011, set by the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Finance at the start of the year.

The NTC earns money mainly through the imposition of spectrum users fees (SUF) and supervision and regulatory fees on telecommunications and broadcast companies. The fees are considered payment for radio frequencies, which are considered state assets.

The NTC also makes money from testing fees paid by applicants for radio operator licenses.

“The increase in collection primarily came from the NTC’s efforts to strictly enforce stakeholders’ compliance in remitting fees,” the agency said. “The NTC was able to achieve the feat without having to increase or levy new fees.”

“With still more than a month to go, the NTC pledged to continue its efforts to possibly breach the P4.3-billion mark by the end of the year,” it added.