The right representation

Last week we heard of the proposed bills that Senator Ralph Recto has been pushing for regarding the removal of expiry dates on prepaid cell phone cards and another bill that will require government to establish and provide free public Wi-Fi in all government offices, facilities and locations. While many Filipinos may be monitoring the latest on the “Napolist” controversy just like their favorite Telenovelas at the end of the day, they are more concerned with money matters, connectivity and real life needs and comforts. So they are understandable supportive of Senator Recto’s proposal to ban “Expiry dates.”

In this regard Senator Ralph Recto has been doing his job the way all elected representatives should do; by representing interests and addressing our concerns either through legislation or communicating these matters with the other branches of government. Aside from the issue of Expiry dates on prepaid cards, Recto has also “reposted” the findings that the Philippines has the slowest Internet speed in the region, and the need for government to establish a “Public Wi-Fi system” as a driver of engine growth, connectivity and platform for opportunities. 

As expected, Telco talking heads and lawyers have been on the offensive both in the courts of Law and the courts of Public Opinion in order to discredit or brand the idea of “No Expiry date” as impossible, a serious potential loss for Telcos, and could be replaced with some other form of benefit. I won’t bully the Telco talking heads since they are simply doing what they are paid to do and say. But I will point out that any defense or offense of the Telcos against the “No Expiry date” law is flawed. If there is a cost for maintaining the prepaid balance in “space,” the Telcos and the courts should also be reminded that pre-paid cards running into hundreds of millions is an accumulated sum of money ADVANCED by consumers daily to the Telcos at ZERO, NADA, ZILCH, AWANIN, NO INTEREST! If Telcos want to talk of costs perhaps Recto and his team should study or calculate cost of money and interests rates on the accumulated millions of pesos advanced by consumers for pre-paid cards. In addition to enjoying interest free advanced revenues the Telcos also do not give refunds for dropped calls or “deaf calls” between competitors with interconnectivity problems. The Telcos also do not invest money to block or disconnect “Spam” SMS nor do they get penalized for sending erroneous and electrifying shock bills.

In this instance all consumers whether affected or otherwise should stand behind Senator Recto’s efforts by airing their support on TV, Radio, Print and Social Media in order to counter the campaign of the Telcos who have the power of advertising money to influence media. In fairness to broadcast media the interviews and commentaries have been very fair if not partial to Recto’s efforts perhaps because even members of mainstream media know the pulse of the public. In an age where advocacies and causes can turn into a Tsunami through social media, the Telcos would be wise to be magnanimous, to make the necessary trade off or adjustments instead of fighting what many consumers believe rightfully is their right, a just cause and a clear example of Telcos taking advantage if not abusing their relationship with customers. Given the amounts, it is less about money but more of being abused or insulted.

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The companion bill to the No Expiry date bill is one that will require government offices and institutions to establish and provide for free Wi-Fi zones. This bill ought to be welcomed by everybody even the Telcos because it is clearly aimed at improving national connectivity, the quality of life of all Filipino Netizens who operate their day to day affairs through the web and will certainly increase businesses that are dependent on the Internet. This would be especially great for students, people starting up businesses and people who need immediate information particularly about the Philippine Government.  While Senator Recto and I are not BFF, I must give him credit for being in tune and acting on real concerns of everyday people. In hindsight, even though one or two of the bills Recto may have dared to author in the past were unpopular we have come to know that they are necessary. Hard pills to swallow but just what the patient needed.

Last week we also heard the privilege speech of Senator Grace Poe concerning the need to reform, revise or re-engineer our political and electoral system so that we can put an end to the ugly and wicked “virus” we call “Dagdag-Bawas”. In her speech Senator Poe pointed out that no one was ever charged within the Comelec and to add insult to injury, some were even promoted or had the nerve to run for public office to extend their immunity from suit or to continue to wreak havoc on society and the present administration.

If anything, Senator Poe’s privilege speech and call for reforms brings attention to the fact that the present Comelec officials have been too busy attending to their own agenda and conveniently forgot about the Dagdag-Bawas Mafia that robbed FPJ a.k.a Fernando Poe Jr. of his chance to be President. It also shows that President Noynoy Aquino and his people have focused too much on Gloria Arroyo and Corona and overlooked that throwing the minions in jail could provide testimony or evidence to truly lock up the big fish in the pen. But now it’s TOO late. Whatever solutions Senator Poe and her colleagues can legislate would certainly be welcomed especially by the next generation of Filipinos who might want to run for public office but are Hog-tied by a system that works only for traditional politicians and election lawyers.

Clearly we have working Senators responding to both short term and long term concerns of citizens. Perhaps if our lawmakers, policy makers and executives simply tuned in on consumer concerns, all our quality of life would improve immensely. As they say: Find the need and solve the problem. God Bless.