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PRESS STATEMENT
January 26, 2004
TXTPower praises Villar on bill vs. telecom cartel
By Anthony Ian M. Cruz Convenor and Spokesperson, TXTPower Cell. No.: 0922-8032840
Email: tonyocruz @yahoo.com

In reaction to Sen. Manuel Villar�s proposal for a measure to protect consumers from the telecommunications cartel, the consumer advocacy TXTPower released the following statement:

We applaud Sen. Villar�s statements and proposed bill against the telecommunications cartel.

We need not hire consultants or advisers to know that a handful of companies control the entire telecommunications sector. They deprive the Filipino people of landlines, affordable rates and good services.

The CMTS (cellular mobile telephone system)sector is one field were the cartel flourishes at the expense of consumers. Smart, Globe and their subsidiaries implement the same rates for calls and text messaging.

Days apart from each other and as if by virtue of a secret agreement, the cartel stopped the practice of peak and off-peak rates, and all of them now resort to flat-rates at similar prices.
Today, both Smart and Globe offer P6.50 flat-rates per minute. Their subsidiaries, Talk N Text and Touchmobile offer the same P5.50 flat-rates.

We hope to participate in upcoming hearing to be conducted by the Senate regarding Sen. Villar�s bill to protect consumers. As a consumer advocacy group, TXTPower will be ready to provide counsel and advice to legislators on how to improve telecommunications industry by demolishing the cartel.

As to the ongoing legal problems faced by the telecommunications companies, we advise them to hire as many top lawyers as their billions of profit could get. We can only hope that similar anti-cartel, anti-oligopoly litigation would soon be possible in the Philippines so Filipinos consumers could hail them to court themselves.

It is about time that we answer the call for consumer protection and forward the fight against the cartel and oligopoly.