NTC exceeds target for 2021 collections

MANILA, Philippines — The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has surpassed its collection target by more than half last year despite the prevailing challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Actual collection for 2021 stood at P9.09 billion, 72.4 percent higher than its P5.27 billion goal for the year.

This is the sixth straight year that the NTC exceeded its collection target.

In 2020, the NTC also surpassed its actual collection by more than half or by 53.44 percent at P7.71 billion.

“I am grateful to both the NTC and DICT families for this achievement. Our collective effort in providing excellent public service indeed made us surpass what was expected of us,” NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said.

Cordoba said the agency’s income target was surpassed despite the restrictions imposed on people’s mobility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He attributed NTC’s achievement to its personnel’s concerted effort to strictly enforce stakeholders’ compliance in remitting spectrum users’ fees, supervision and regulation fees and penalties.

The NTC is the government agency that regulates cable and commercial television operators, broadcast radio stations, telecommunications companies and commercial and portable radio operators.

Collection targets of the agency are mandated in the budget of expenditures and sources of financing, a document required by the Constitution and consolidated by the Department of Budget Management.

“The achievement for the past six years demonstrates the NTC and DICT’s full support to the national government and the public service programs pushed by President Duterte – priorities of which are on infrastructure, agriculture and rural development, and peace and order,” the agency said.