THE Federation of International Cable TV Associations of the Philippines (Fictap) called on the Senate to stop the implementation of “harsh” regulatory penalties that could jeopardize the industry’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
In a statement on Wednesday, Fictap national chairman Estrellita Juliano-Tamano said that the group has been sending letters to Senate President Francis Escudero and Public Service Committee chairman Sen. Raffy Tulfo, asking for their support in “saving a vital industry from extinction.”
Juliano-Tamano pointed out that cable TV and internet MSMEs might go extinct because of the National Telecommunications Commission’s plan to exact between P5,000 and P2 million in daily fines for violation of the agency’s rules.
“That would mean the inevitable elimination of the meagerly funded MSMEs, which employ thousands of employees, pay millions [of pesos] in taxes, while also serving as the government’s partner in the ‘last mile’ of the national connectivity program,” she said.
“In addition, the Bill of Rights, under Article III of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, specifically Section 19, states that excessive fines shall not be imposed, that is why we are strongly opposing NTC’s memorandum circular (MC), ” Juliano-Tamano said.
In May, Juliano-Tamano said the NTC’s MC may not have undergone the required Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) cited in Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
The memorandum circular, published on April 30, showed penalties specifically for MSMEs, in Rule IV, Section 11, which also states that failure to pay the fines could result in the suspension of their certificates.
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