Konektadong Pinoy nears lapse; IRR input is next option for telcos

TELECOMMUNICATIONS (telcos) companies PLDT Inc. and Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. said they are willing to offer input on the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Konektadong Pinoy bill, in the event it lapses into law, as a way to address industry concerns.

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"There are a lot of options, of course, [which PLDT can explore]. Our first option is the IRR. That is what we are looking at," PLDT Inc. Chief Legal Counsel Joan de Venecia-Fabul told reporters on Monday.

"We do not know what will happen with the legal challenge. We are looking at a cooperative approach with DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) to see how the IRR can be crafted in such a way that it will address the industry’s concerns," she said.

"We are not yet in a position to say what legal remedies, but we are actively studying all [options] because ultimately we want to support the goal of the President, especially for greater connectivity," she added.

For its part, Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dennis Anthony H. Uy said that the company is hopeful that the private sector will be tapped for the crafting of the Konektadong Pinoy IRR.