National Telecommunications Commission recently announced its interim guidelines in the renewal of certificates, permits or licenses during the ongoing state of public emergency involving the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
In a memorandum order signed by Commissioner Gamaliel A. Cordoba and his deputies Edgardo V. Cabarios and Delilah F. Deles and addressed to its central and regional offices, the NTC announced that all existing certificates, permits and licenses to operate radio communications equipment, networks and facilities, public (telecom), broadcast, government or private, in various radio services expiring in the current year shall remain valid and may be renewed on or before the last working day of December 2020 without penalties or surcharges.
Thereafter, appropriate penalties or surcharges shall be imposed. Due to expediency reasons as there are still mobility limitation issues in many regions around the country, public telecommunications entities may file/submit applications for renewal of permits and/or licenses at the NTC Central Office.
Submission and approval of applications for renewal are subject to the guidelines provided under NTC Memorandum Order No. 1 347 -2020 dated July 22, 2O2O.
These guidelines shall be in effect in areas under enhanced or general community quarantine and amends Memorandum Order No. 12-07-2020. The NTC is releasing this memo in the interest of public service and pursuant to subsisting laws, executive issuances and rules and regulations, enjoining all government agencies to render full assistance and cooperation and mobilizing the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent, and appropriate responses and measures in a timely manner to curtail and eliminate the COVID-19 health crisis.
Known as Pambansang Komisyon sa Telekomunikasyon in Filipino, the NTC is an attached agency of the Department of Information and Communications Technology responsible for the supervision, adjudication and control over all telecommunications services and television networks throughout the country. The NTC is headed by Commissioner Cordoba, who assumed office in August 2009, and served under the administrations of former presidents Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III, and current President Rodrigo Duterte