NTC celebrates 45 years of fostering telecommunications for nation-building

SINCE its creation 45 years ago under Executive Order (EO) 546, promulgated on July 23, 1979, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has been responsible for the supervision, adjudication and control over all telecommunications services and radio and television networks throughout the Philippines.It was conferred with regulatory and quasi-judicial functions taken over from the Board of Communications and the Telecommunications Control Bureau, which were abolished in the same order. NTC has been primarily responsible for the regulation with quasi-judicial functions relative to the supervision, adjudication and control of the country's radio communications and broadcast, including cable television facilities and services.This authority has given NTC the autonomy to adopt measures and promote guidelines, rules and regulations on the establishment, operation and maintenance of telecommunications facilities and services nationwide.Despite its independence as a regulatory body, notwithstanding its quasi-judicial function, NTC remained under the administrative supervision of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as an attached agency.For its quasi-judicial functions, its decisions would be appealable only and directly to the Supreme Court.Telecommunications transitioned from analog to digital, cellular phones, and desktop computers to smartphones and tablets, and through it all, the NTC has had a hand in the history of broadcast development.NTC present leadershipNTC has been led by lawyer Ella Blanca Lopez as commissioner with lawyer Jon Paulo Salvahan and engineer Alvin Bernard Blanco as deputy commissioners. Lopez was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as the new commissioner, months after she took over the leadership of the agency in a temporary capacity.Prior to her appointment, Lopez was deputy commissioner of the NTC and its officer in charge.Warning to SIM Registration Act violatorsOn July 18, NTC issued a warning against violators of the SIM Registration Act, particularly those selling preregistered SIMs.(SIM means subscriber identification module that comes with the card inserted to mobile phones and tablets.)NTC said it conducted a dialogue with telecommunications companies, SIM distributors and dealers to discuss the importance of compliance with the SIM Registration Act.In a statement, it said it emphasized the prohibition against the sale of preregistered SIM cards and irregular forms of assisted registration.Citing the SIM Registration Law, NTC said the sale of preregistered SIM cards "pose serious risks to safety."Violations would entail penalties of up to 6 years imprisonment or fine up to P300,000 or both, upon conviction of the end-user, it said.Surpassing 2023 income targetIn January, NTC reported that it surpassed by 60 percent its income target for 2023 as the agency improved its collection of fees and penalties.NTC data showed the agency exceeded its collection target in 2023, generating P9.43 billion for the government in the first full year of the Marcos administration.The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) set a revenue objective of P5.91 billion for the NTC for 2023, but the agency exceeded this by P3.52 billion or 60 percent over the target figure.Lopez said the agency instructed stakeholders to strictly comply with their obligation of remitting spectrum users fees. NTC also tightened its collection of penalties from radio companies that failed to pay their dues on time.The commissioner committed that NTC would improve its revenue collection further as the agency wanted to contribute in funding the programs and projects of the Marcos administration."The NTC's systematic collection effort is the agency's modest way of contributing to the public service programs of President Marcos, priorities of which are food security, free and universal primary education, and public health," Lopez said.For 2024, the DBCC has required the NTC to collect P6.26 billion for the government, the bulk of which would come from spectrum users fees of P3.35 billion.NTC has been tasked to further increase its income target to P6.62 billion in 2025 and 2026. It would source its funds from the registration, certification and licensing of cable, internet and telecommunications companies.In compliance with House Resolution 189, calling for an investigation into the reported breaches in the franchise of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), NTC suspended the broadcast rights of SMNI for allegedly violating the terms and conditions of its legislative franchise.HistoryIn 1927, Act 3396, known as the Ship Radio Station Law, was enacted. The Radio Construction and Maintenance Section, the first radio regulatory office, was charged to enforce the said law.In 1931, Act 3846 known as the Radio Control Law was enacted. The Radio Control Division in the Bureau of Post was created under the jurisdiction of the then Secretary of Commerce and Communications.In 1939, the Radio Control Division was transferred to the Department of National Defense, which was organized pursuant to EO 230.In 1947, the Radio Control Division was again transferred to the Department of Commerce and Industry, which was created pursuant to EO 230.In 1951, Republic Act (RA) 1476 was enacted, abolishing the Radio Control Board.In 1962, Department Order 51 was issued, changing the name of the Radio Control Division to the Radio Control Office.In 1972, the Board of Communications (BOC) was created under the Integrated Reorganization Law. It was the first quasi-judicial body with adjudicatory powers on matters involving telecommunications services.The Radio Control Office was renamed the Telecommunications Control Bureau in 1974.In 1979, by virtue of EO 546, the TCB and the BOC were integrated into a single entity now known as the National Telecommunications Commission. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications, which was created under the same order, has administrative jurisdiction over the NTC.Former President Corazon Aquino issued EO 125-A in 1987, making the NTC an attached agency of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC).Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued EO 269 in 2004, creating the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) and transferring the NTC from DoTC to CICT.In 2005, Arroyo issued EO 454, transferring the NTC back to the DoTC.In 2008, President Arroyo issued EO 648, transferring the NTC back to the CICT.In 2011, President Benigno Aquino 3rd issued EO 47, which retained the NTC under the Office of the President as part of the Other Executive Offices.In 2016, Aquino signed RA 10844, creating the DICT and making the NTC an attached agency of the newly created executive department.RA No. 7925Promulgated on March 1, 1995, RA 7925, otherwise known as the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of the Philippines, Article 3 Section 5 defined the responsibilities of NTC.The NTC should be the principal administrator of this act and as such should take the necessary measures to implement the policies and objectives set forth in this act.Accordingly, in addition to its existing functions, the commission should be responsible for the following: (a) Adopt an administrative process, which would facilitate the entry of qualified service providers and adopt a pricing policy, which would generate sufficient returns to encourage them to provide basic telecommunications services in unserved and underserved areas; (b) ensure quality, safety, reliability, security, compatibility and interoperability of telecommunications facilities and services in conformity with standards and specifications set by international radio and telecommunications organizations to which the Philippines is a signatory; (c) mandate a fair and reasonable interconnection of facilities of authorized public network operators and other providers of telecommunications services through appropriate modalities of interconnection and at a reasonable and fair level of charges, which make provision for the cross subsidy to unprofitable local exchange service areas, so as to promote telephone density and provide the most extensive access to basic telecommunications services available at affordable rates to the public; (d) foster fair and efficient market conduct through, but not limited to, the protection of telecommunications entities from unfair trade practices of other carriers; (e) promote consumers welfare by facilitating access to telecommunications services whose infrastructure and network must be geared towards the needs of individual and business users; (f) protect consumers against misuse of a telecommunications entity's monopoly or quasi-monopolistic powers by, but not limited to, the investigation of complaints and exacting compliance with service standards from such entity; and (g) in the exercise of its regulatory powers, continue to impose such fees and charges as might be necessary to cover reasonable costs and expenses for the regulation and supervision of the operations of telecommunications entities.Section 6 defined the responsibilities of and limitations to department powers:"The Department of Transportation and Communications (now DICT) shall not exercise any power, which will tend to influence or effect a review or a modification of the commission›s quasi-judicial functions.""In coordination with the commission, however, the department shall — in accordance with the policies enunciated in this act — be responsible for: (a) the development and maintenance of a long-term strategic national development plan for telecommunications to serve as a guide to the industry and potential investors as well as to the commission; (b) the coordination of research and development activities in government with the work of other institutions in the field of telecommunications; (c) the representation and promotion of Philippine interests in international bodies, and the negotiation of the nation's rights and obligations in international telecommunications matters; and (d) the operation of a national consultative forum to facilitate interaction [among] the telecommunications industries, user groups, academic and research institutions in the airing and resolution of important issues in the field of communication."* * *NTC mandate, vision and missionTHE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has issued a warning against violators of the SIM Registration Act, particularly those selling preregistered SIMs, on July 18. (SIM means subscriber identification module that comes with the card inserted to mobile phones and tablets.)The NTC's mandate is to regulate the installation, operation and maintenance of radio stations both for private and public use (Radio Control Law, Act. 3846, as amended); to regulate and supervise the provision of public telecommunications services (Radio Control Law, Act 3846, as amended and Public Telecommunications Policy Act of 1995, RA 7925); to manage the radio spectrum (Radio Control Law, Act No. 3846, as amended and Public Telecommunication Policy Act of 1995, RA 7925); and to regulate and supervise radio and television broadcast stations, cable television (CATV) and pay television (EO 546 and EO 205).VisionBy 2025, the NTC is a world-class regulatory agency, meeting the challenges of the digital world.MissionIts mission is to maintain a responsive regulatory environment for an effective telecommunications/information and communication technology sector.