Duterte: India could be next major telco player

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is considering India as the next major player in the country’s telecommunications industry.

In his speech during the induction of the new board of directors of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Inc. on Tuesday night in Malacañang, Duterte said he had invited Indian businessmen to invest in the country’s telco industry when he visited New Delhi in January.

“India is also interested to enter into the telecom industry. And we are considering… I invited them during my talks with the business visit,” he said.

The President added the entry of another major player would promote market competition.

However, he advised investors to shun extortion attempts by for appropriate action.

“If you are asked to shell out money or there is a transaction which involves corruption for a favor or for a permit then let me know,” Duterte said. “You are not supposed to spend for anything and the collections of government, regulatory fees most of it.”

In November 2017, Duterte invited China to enter the country’s telco industry and put an end to the “duopoly” of publicly listed companies Globe Telecom Inc. and PLDT Inc.

Duterte had instructed the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to speed up the processing of the application of Beijing-based China Telecom so it could start operations in the country by March.