PINAIIMBESTIGAHAN ni ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Rowena Niña Taduran “in aid of legislation” ang mga internet service provider at telecommunication companies sa kapalpakan ng kanilang serbisyo at patuloy na paniningil sa mga subscriber nito sa kabila ng hindi pagbibigay ng tamang serbisyo.

Sinabi ng House Asst. Majority Leader na hindi makatarungan ang mabagal o kawalan ng serbisyo kahit na tuloy-tuloy sa pagbabayad ng kanilang mataas na bill ang mga konsyumer.

“It is beyond belief how these internet service providers can get away with their continuous billing charges despite non-service or failure to deliver the appropriate service to their consumers. I recommend that the government regulatory agencies overseeing these internet service providers and telcos be asked to account for their apparent failure to institute safeguards to protect consumers’ rights against these greedy operators,” ayon kay Taduran.

“The way I see it, if you have ten apples to sell, you should only sell this to ten customers. What seems to be happening in the telecoms industry, you have a limited capacity being sold to an unlimited number of subscribers. Naturally, you would not be able to provide the level of service you promised to deliver if you do not have the infrastructure to deliver it. I propose that a subscriber cap be imposed against these telcos so they only service what their networks can actually handle. Eh kuha nang kuha ng subscribers, kolekta nang kolekta ng bayad, hindi naman naibibigay ang kaukulang serbisyo dahil kulang ang pasilidad,” dagdag pa ni Taduran.

Nais ng mambabatas na isauli ng telecommunication companies na ito ang pera ng mga konsyumer na hindi nabigyan ng tamang serbisyo.

Idinagdag pa ni Taduran na walang dahilan ang mga telcos na ito na patagalin o huwag ibigay ang karampatang serbisyo sa kanilang mga subscriber.

“Even President Rodrigo Duterte said that these telcos no longer have a reason for their failure to develop their infrastructure with the passage of Bayanihan to Heal As One Act 2  which speeds up the application process for the necessary permits. Pero kung ako ang tatanungin, sa tingin ko nagdadahilan lang ang mga ‘yan. Gusto lang tumabo nang tumabo. Hindi umaaksyon sa reklamo ng consumers dahil wala namang nagpaparusa sa kanila,” ayon kay Taduran.

Binigyang diin ng mambabatas ang kahalagahan ng bilis at hindi napuputol na internet at mobile telephone service lalo na ngayong importante ito sa kasalukuyang online learning at work from home na sitwasyon dahil sa pandemya.

“I support Congresswoman Bernadette Herrera’s call for an investigation on the slow internet speed. But I would like to move for deeper investigation regarding the inability of these telcos to deliver what is due their customers. They should be punished for accepting new subscribers even though their infrastructure cannot handle all of them. They should return the money of the consumers who kept on paying for undelivered service. Lahat napeperwisyo sa palpak nilang serbisyo. They should be held accountable,” pagtatapos ni Taduran. (CESAR BARQUILLA)