The House of Representatives unanimously approved on third and final reading House Bill 7753, which seeks to extend for another 25 years the franchise granted to the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ), under Republic No. 4339, as amended by RA 7225, to install, maintain and operate private telecommunications or electronic communications services throughout the Philippines and between the Philippines and other countries and territories.
The bill principally authored by Rep. Florida Robes (Lone District, San Jose Del Monte City) got the nod of all 224 House Members who were present during the voting. The bill has been transmitted to the Senate for action.
Robes said the maintenance of private telecommunications networks is an acceptable practice among large organizations for their efficient interconnection over extended geographical areas. The need for privacy and exclusivity for transmission and exchange of information is served by this, she said.
Robes said the Iglesia ni Cristo, being an ever-expanding religious organization, that disseminates uniform bi-weekly preaching in all its regular religious congregations nationwide, and even worldwide, needs to use and maintain a private telecommunications network to serve its proselytization.
“Immediate accessibility to pastoral guidance and counselling on a regular basis is a must for such an organization conscious about direct implementation of religious instructions to its locale officers and members,” said Robes.
The bill seeks to extend for another 25 years the franchise granted to the INC. This shall amend RA 443, as amended by RA 7225 which extended the INC’s franchise to construct, install, establish and operate radio stations for private telecommunications to another 25 years from February 10, 1994.
The INC shall be bestowed the right to construct, establish, install, maintain, lease, purchase, and operate the corresponding transmitting and receiving stations, satellites, lines, systems, networks, international gateways, local exchanges, and platforms as it may consider necessary, convenient or reasonable.
The term telecommunications shall include “electronic communications” which shall refer to services that are principally conveyed by means of an electronic communications network of signals.
The grantee, which is the INC, shall secure from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) and the appropriate permits and licenses for the construction, installation, and operation of its telecommunications systems or facilities.
The NTC shall have the authority to regulate the construction and operations of the INC’s telecommunications system. The grantee shall not use any frequency in the radio spectrum without authorization from the NTC.
Moreover, the grantee shall seek prior approval from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the local government unit (LGU) concerned, to excavate or lay conduits in any of the public places, roads, highways, streets, lanes, alleys, avenues, sidewalks, or bridges of cities, provinces, or municipalities.
The grantee shall conform to the ethics of honest enterprise and not use its stations for the dissemination of deliberately false information, or wilful misrepresentation, or assist in subversive or treasonable acts.
Likewise, the grantee shall improve and extend its services in areas not yet served, and in hazard- and typhoon-prone areas that shall be determined by the National Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) in coordination with the NTC.
The franchise shall be extended and in effect for a period of 25 years from the date of effectivity of the Act, unless sooner cancelled or revoked. The franchise shall be deemed ipso facto in the event the grantee fails to operate continuously for two years.
The grantee shall submit an annual report to the Congress of the Philippines, through the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises and the Senate Committee on Public Services, on its compliance with the terms and conditions of the franchise on or before April 30 of every year during the term of its franchise.
Other authors of the bill are Reps. Manuel Jose Dalipe (2nd District, Zamboanga City), Franz Alvarez (1st District, Palawan), Aileen Radaza (Lone District, Lapu-Lapu City), Jose Tejada (3rd District, North Cotabato), Anna Katrina Enverga (1st District, Quezon), Jorge Banal (3rd District, Quezon City), and Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso (2nd District, Cagayan), among others. | Rowena B. Bundang
The bill principally authored by Rep. Florida Robes (Lone District, San Jose Del Monte City) got the nod of all 224 House Members who were present during the voting. The bill has been transmitted to the Senate for action.
Robes said the maintenance of private telecommunications networks is an acceptable practice among large organizations for their efficient interconnection over extended geographical areas. The need for privacy and exclusivity for transmission and exchange of information is served by this, she said.
Robes said the Iglesia ni Cristo, being an ever-expanding religious organization, that disseminates uniform bi-weekly preaching in all its regular religious congregations nationwide, and even worldwide, needs to use and maintain a private telecommunications network to serve its proselytization.
“Immediate accessibility to pastoral guidance and counselling on a regular basis is a must for such an organization conscious about direct implementation of religious instructions to its locale officers and members,” said Robes.
The bill seeks to extend for another 25 years the franchise granted to the INC. This shall amend RA 443, as amended by RA 7225 which extended the INC’s franchise to construct, install, establish and operate radio stations for private telecommunications to another 25 years from February 10, 1994.
The INC shall be bestowed the right to construct, establish, install, maintain, lease, purchase, and operate the corresponding transmitting and receiving stations, satellites, lines, systems, networks, international gateways, local exchanges, and platforms as it may consider necessary, convenient or reasonable.
The term telecommunications shall include “electronic communications” which shall refer to services that are principally conveyed by means of an electronic communications network of signals.
The grantee, which is the INC, shall secure from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) and the appropriate permits and licenses for the construction, installation, and operation of its telecommunications systems or facilities.
The NTC shall have the authority to regulate the construction and operations of the INC’s telecommunications system. The grantee shall not use any frequency in the radio spectrum without authorization from the NTC.
Moreover, the grantee shall seek prior approval from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the local government unit (LGU) concerned, to excavate or lay conduits in any of the public places, roads, highways, streets, lanes, alleys, avenues, sidewalks, or bridges of cities, provinces, or municipalities.
The grantee shall conform to the ethics of honest enterprise and not use its stations for the dissemination of deliberately false information, or wilful misrepresentation, or assist in subversive or treasonable acts.
Likewise, the grantee shall improve and extend its services in areas not yet served, and in hazard- and typhoon-prone areas that shall be determined by the National Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) in coordination with the NTC.
The franchise shall be extended and in effect for a period of 25 years from the date of effectivity of the Act, unless sooner cancelled or revoked. The franchise shall be deemed ipso facto in the event the grantee fails to operate continuously for two years.
The grantee shall submit an annual report to the Congress of the Philippines, through the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises and the Senate Committee on Public Services, on its compliance with the terms and conditions of the franchise on or before April 30 of every year during the term of its franchise.
Other authors of the bill are Reps. Manuel Jose Dalipe (2nd District, Zamboanga City), Franz Alvarez (1st District, Palawan), Aileen Radaza (Lone District, Lapu-Lapu City), Jose Tejada (3rd District, North Cotabato), Anna Katrina Enverga (1st District, Quezon), Jorge Banal (3rd District, Quezon City), and Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso (2nd District, Cagayan), among others. | Rowena B. Bundang
No comments:
Post a Comment