By Argyll B. Geducos
After numerous delays, the Department of Information and Communications Technology has revealed that the country’s third telecommunications player may be identified as early as October.
DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio said that they have started the legal process in selecting the third telecommunications player.
Rio told Communications Secretary Martin Andanar in an interview over Radyo Pilipinas that the first public hearing will be held soon.
“Nag-umpisa na iyong tinatawag nating legal process for the, iyong memorandum circular that will define the terms of preference in selecting iyong magiging third telco natin. This started August 8,” he said.
“Iyong first public hearing na kailangan talaga dadaanan itong legal na prosesong ito, dahil this is like a legislative process, may public hearing at hindi mo ma-shortcut talaga ito, this will be on next Wednesday, August 23,” he added.
Rio said that the legal process will take around 55 days or will be finished by the end of September, after which they will give contenders a month to come up with their proposals.
“So end of September and, we will give the contenders, iyong interesadong maging, maybe one month to first bide their bid documents, fill it up, and come up with their bid proposal,” he said.
“And then siguro by end of October or early November, ma-identify na natin or ma-award na natin sa isang third telco po,” he added.
Rio said they are thankful that President Duterte understood the situation, noting that the Chief Executive directed the DICT to facilitate the entry of the third telco as early as March this year.