THE Philippine Chamber of Telecommunication Operators (PCTO) on Wednesday raised concerns over sanctions imposed by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) following its recent network performance validation.
The industry group said fines were imposed through show-cause orders before telecommunications operators were given sufficient notice or a meaningful opportunity to respond to and contest the findings.PCTO added that the NTC had not adequately disclosed the methodology, metrics, testing conditions and other technical bases used to determine noncompliance of standards. Without this information, operators cannot properly verify or challenge the results, PCTO said.The group noted that Memorandum Circular 001-01-2026 calls for annual performance audits, but detailed testing methods and standards have yet to be established.“Operators should not be penalized under standards that have not been clearly defined and consistently applied,” PCTO said.It warned that regulatory uncertainty and substantial penalties could divert resources and attention from network expansion and improvement.PCTO also urged the government to address long-standing barriers to better connectivity, including varying and burdensome local government permitting requirements, lengthy approval processes, and high regulatory fees at the national and local levels.The group acknowledged that the law allows the NTC to investigate and take certain compliance measures without a prior hearing. However, it said this authority does not exempt the commission from observing administrative due process or allow it to impose punitive penalties without notice and an opportunity to be heard.PCTO said it supports holding operators accountable and improving telecommunications services, but enforcement must be based on transparent standards, sound technical methods and due process.It added that regulatory action should be accompanied by government efforts to remove barriers to investment in and deployment of telecommunications infrastructure.
