According to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), more foreign telecommunications companies are interested in putting up shop in the Philippines.
DICT Secretary Emmanuel Rey Caintic said there was an increase in interest from foreign telco companies ever since the Public Service Act (RA 11659) was amended. They also plan to speed up the processing of applications for these firms.
Caintic adds that most of these companies are from Europe and the US. However, he did not mention any specific names.
The 85-year-old Public Service Act was amended to relax restrictions on foreign ownership specifically in telecommunications, airlines, and railways sectors.
Last month, the Trade Department said SpaceX’s Starlink is working on its papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission, putting up a local Filipino entity (a wholly-owned subsidiary). Caintic said that they are only waiting for them to complete other permits from the NTC and DICT.
DICT is working on common towers and fiber networks that will allow both local and foreign telco players to easily connect to the system.
