By Genalyn D. Kabiling
The “lousy” services of two telecommunications giants have prompted the government to allow a third telecommunications carrier in the country, President Duterte said recently.
The President said he sought a frequency for the third telco player from China so it could compete with PLDT-Smart Communications and Globe Telecom which he claimed have “never improved their service.”
“Nagsabi ako may reserba na frequency which we can offer kasi gusto ko third player, because itong dalawa, lousy eh. They have never improved their service and that is the universal complaint,” the President said during his visit to Cebu last Tuesday.
“I need a third player from China. Anyone there. Any company will do. Wala akong problema. Basta there must be a competition sa third player,” he added.
Duterte admitted becoming furious when he learned that the government was asked to pay P3 billion to get back the frequency obtained for free by PLDT-Smart years ago during a recent Cabinet meeting.
He said he wanted to slap the telco firm for its demand and threatened to deploy the Bureau of Internal Revenue to review its financial books.
“He’s trying to extort money from me but no. I gave that to him for free but he tried to sell it. And now he made it seem like I’m the one who owes him money,” Duterte said.
“I told Secretary Rio to tell them, ‘Do not f*ck my country.’ Because tomorrow when you wake up, the BIR will be there,” he added.
Following the President’s outburst, PLDT chairperson Manuel Pangilinan changed his mind and offered to return the frequency to the government for free. Malacañang has welcomed Pangilinan’s move to cooperate with the government.
Duterte later made clear that he was no longer angry with the two telco companies. “Itong Smart pati Globe. I’m sure that they are worried that galit ako. Hindi ako galit sa kanila. Ayaw ko lang ‘yang style na ganun,” he said.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque had earlier said the President wants a third player in the telecommunications industry to be operational by end of March or early April.
Roque said PLDT’s planned return of the frequencies to the government would facilitate the setting up of the new major player that can effectively compete in the market.
