MANILA, Philippines — A senator on Thursday took a swipe at telecommunication companies for what he called the continued unreliable internet connectivity in the country.
Sen. Win Gatchalian recalled that President Rodrigo Duterte last year issued an ultimatum to the telco duopoly in the country last year, telling them to shape up before the end of 2020 or face the seizure of their assets.
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More than three months have passed since the deadline set by the president but, for Gatchalian, telcos have failed to improve their services.
He also criticized their customer service, noting the number of complaints lodged by subscribers "over data concerns and deficient broadband services, among many others."
"The lackadaisical attitude in the face of the subscribers’ problems is appalling especially at this time when we are all aware of the necessity of internet services in every household and commercial establishment in the country," he said.
"To say that the public is not getting their money’s worth is an understatement."
While acknowledging reports that the speed of mobile internet in the Philippines rose from the 111th spot to the 86th spot in global rankings last year, the senator said he has not seen the "significant improvement" reflected in "actual service to customers."
Gatchalian also noted that figures from the Speedtest Global Index do not show any growth for the country's fixed internet which remains at 100th place.
His office also noted that the social media pages of PLDT and Globe "have been flooded with complaints since last year over the slow response from network service personnel for the much-needed technical repairs."
"People's patience runs too long. How much longer will we suffer from the problem of internet connectivity?" Gatchalian said in Filipino.
"It might be that we have all been vaccinated against COVID-19 and this problem is still ongoing. Unlike the electricity bill which can be paid in installments, telco subscriptions are paid in full. I hope they will reward the people with the competent service."
— Bella Perez-Rubio