DAVAO CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday issued a stern warning to the two major telecommunication companies (telcos) to improve their services by December or risk getting shut down.
In his fifth state of the nation address (SONA), Duterte called on the players of the telecommunication to address the connectivity problem which has been there for ages.
The President warned the Telcos saying, “For the remaining two years of my term, all that is good that belongs to the government, whether it be the airwaves, whether it be the lines, or whatever that is good for the people, will belong to the government and it should be the government who should be given the first option to utilize them. Ang sobra, kanila. [applause]
I call on our [telecommunication] companies to improve their services lest we be forced to take drastic steps to address the less-than-ideal service that the public is getting from you.
Alam mo sisingit na lang ako dito . . . Sometimes we are a government pictured to be weak and incompetent because we cannot really force our mandate. Alam mo itong nagbibigay ng mga public services, you better improve.
Huwag naman ninyo kaming pahintayin sampung taon bago kami makakamit ng mga services that the other countries are enjoying. If it’s just a question of added capitalization or the infusion of money, go and look for it.
Maghanap kayo because if you are not ready to improve and . . . I might just as well close all of you and we revert back to the line telephone at kukunin ko ‘yan, i-expropriate ko sa gobyerno.
Alam mo itong . . . I’ll be straight, iyong Smart pati itong Globe, ilang taon na ito, at ang sagot palagi sa akin, “the party cannot be reached.” Eh nasaan pala pumunta ‘yung y*** na ‘yon?
Eh kung ganoon lang naman ibigay ninyo sa amin, we are a republic, a sovereign country, bear that in mind because the patience of the Filipino people is reaching its limit . . . I will be the one to articulate the anger of the Filipino people. And you might not want what I intend to do with you.
Kindly improve the services before December. I want to call Jesus Christ to Bethlehem. Better have that line cleared. [applause] Alam mo sa totoo lang, at the end — naa-ano na ako sa inyo. I have been a citizen of this country and parang nilalaro lang ninyo and . . .
Kayong may pera, p***. May pera kayo? Negosyo kayo. Wala kayong pera? P***, umalis kayo dito. You know, you give us half deals, half-cooked transactions, lousy service. Tapos ang tao nagbabayad.
Tell us now if you cannot really improve on it because I will work by December. I have two years. The next two years will be spent on improving the telecommunications of this country without you. I will find a way. I will talk to Congress and find a way how to do it. “
Duterte said he will do drastic steps against Globe Telecom Inc. and Smart Communications Inc., the wireless arm of PLDT Inc. if they do not improve by yearend.
The Filipino people, according to Duterte, deserve what they pay and not the lousy services.-Newsline.ph
