Number porting faces rough sailing

Maybe you’ve had your mobile number for many years or you just like your number for personal reasons so that even if you are not satisfied with your provider’s service, you wouldn’t even think of switching networks.

Number portability provides the solution.

Republic Act 11202 or the Mobile Number Portability (MNP)  Act, which allows cellular mobile subscribers to retain their numbers even if they change telecommunications service provider, was finally implemented last Sept. 30,  more than two years after President Duterte signed this measure into law.

The Philippines is somewhat late in the game in implementing MNP,  as this has been the practice for some countries like Singapore, Japan, and the  US.

Implementation of this new mandate was, however, not easy. The three telcos, namely Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, and the newest player Dito Telecommunity, cited several reasons, such as the need to conduct interoperability tests and to hire an independent contractor to manage the porting services.

They finally got their act together by forming a consortium called Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. (TCI). They also tapped the services of a global firm, Syniverse, to implement the porting platform.

Mobile phone subscribers should have no problems porting or bringing with them their numbers when changing carriers.

Everyone can switch providers and retain their mobile numbers, except those who still have outstanding financial obligations or contracts with their telcos or those who are blacklisted or barred by the courts from porting his or her number. And by the way, the porting of a mobile number is free.

A telco found violating the provisions of the MNP law could face fines of up to P1 million and the revocation of its franchise.

Unfortunately, implementation of the MNP Act is now facing problems.

In a letter to Globe and the National Telecommunications Commission, Smart has asked its rival telco to fix MNP issues affecting Globe customers who want to transfer to Smart.

Due to Globe’s system readiness issues and general unpreparedness to implement the law, Smart noted that Globe is in effect denying its customers the choice of switching to Smart seamlessly, ultimately compromising if not maiming the spirit of the law, which is to honor and protect the customers’ choice of their preferred network.

Smart said that as of Oct. 5, it logged a 38 percent rejection rate by Globe due to technical issues. It is now demanding a firm commitment in terms of timelines for permanent fixes.

Meanwhile, Pilipino Society and Development Advocates Commuter-Consumer (PASADA-CC) deputy secretary general Eric Caraan said in a statement that he had wanted to migrate from Globe to Smart, but was thwarted from doing so by a Globe customer relations officer.

Caraan said the Globe customer relations officer he spoke to prescribed a non-functional online method  and was instead advised to upgrade to an existing, more expensive subscription plan.

He added that there was a similar complaint from a Batangas-based Globe subscriber and member of PASADA-CC who had sought to transfer a cellular service subscription from Globe to Dito.

In its statement, PASADA-CC quoted Caraan as saying that there seems to be an emerging pattern of Globe employing such deceptive electronic and customer-relations/marketing ploys to dissuade and ultimately frustrate existing Globe Telecoms subscribers from transferring to other mobile service providers.

He warned that if such practices continue to be observed by mobile service providers, his organization will be forced to file a complaint with the NTC.

Spending taxpayers’ money right

With many Filipinos facing tougher times in terms of reduced employment opportunities due to the pandemic, resulting in the need to tighten their belts even more, they are becoming more concerned with how the taxes that they are paying are being used, especially by their elected officials.

In his last State of the Nation Address, President Duterte vowed to continue fighting corruption until his last day in office.

In connection with these, the people of Camarines Sur have intensified their call for the Department of the Interior and Local Government to suspend, and for the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate, Iriga City Mayor Madelaine Alfelor for the many criminal and graft complaints filed against her for at least 16 suspected anomalies.

Most of the complaints against Alfelor were lodged with the Office of the Ombudsman, particularly those involving alleged anomalies in the distribution of cash grants to unqualified recipients under the national government’s  Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

There is also an administrative complaint against Alfelor before the same office in connection with her obtaining a P275-million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines to build an amusement park with a huge ferris wheel at a time when mobility restrictions continue to be imposed because of the pandemic.

She is also the subject of complaints for malversation and graft in terms of unliquidated cash advances, undocumented procurement transactions, and unsupported advances to contractors.

The Ombudsman has also received  a complaint against her and several other respondents for reportedly procuring P13.51 million-worth of seedlings without competitive bidding, for releasing scholarship funds amounting to P2.78 million to only one beneficiary, for non-release of two barangays’ share in real property taxes, unlawful appointments of and compensation to unqualified personnel, invalid expropriation, to name a few.

At a hearing by the House Committee on Good Government, at least three whistleblowers admitted that it was Mayor Alfelor herself who had handed out in secret the cash subsidy to them.

Unfortunately, the Ombudsman, the DILG, and Philippine Anti-Corruption Commission have yet to take action on all these complaints. Alfelor’s constituents, especially are demanding immediate action.

Fast growing insurance company

Allianz PNB Life is now ranked among the country’s top five life insurance companies and remains the fastest-growing life insurance company in the Philippines, according to a report by the Insurance Commission.

The report covers the performance of all life and non-life insurance companies in the Philippines in the first quarter of 2021.

This year, the company clinched the top four and three spots in new business annual premium equivalent (NBAPE) and gross written premiums (GWP), respectively.

NBAPE measures performance of life insurance companies based on the total of first year premiums and 10 percent of the single premium within the same period, while GWP is the total premium earned by the company, including additional and/or return premiums before any deductions.

According to company president and CEO Alexander Grenz, they are honored to be recognized for maintaining their momentum and starting the year strong despite the continuously challenging market conditions.

He attributed their success to the hard work of their people in meeting Filipinos’ rising awareness on the value of insurance and the quality of their solutions.

Allianz PNB Life is among the first insurers to have its online sales process approved by the IC, which quickly enabled its distribution force, named Life Changers, to reach clients more efficiently and effectively despite restrictions on face-to-face transactions.

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