EDITORIAL: A Convenient Spotlight?

EDITORIAL

The timing is difficult to ignore. Days after the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center came under heavy criticism over the Discord blocking, the National Telecommunications Commission is now going after telcos with ₱100,000-a-day fines for poor service.

Interestingly, NTC largely escaped the public heat during the Discord controversy even though it was the regulator that actually implemented the blocking by directing telcos and internet service providers to restrict access to the platform. Now, just days later, NTC is putting those same telcos under a very bright spotlight.

There is nothing wrong with holding telcos accountable. Filipinos have every right to demand better internet service, and regulators should act when standards are not met. NTC has imposed ₱100,000 daily penalties on Globe, Smart and DITO over mobile broadband deficiencies.

But telcos have always been an easy target for government when it needs an issue that can generate positive public sentiment. Poor signal, slow internet and bad service are frustrations almost everyone understands. Put a ₱100,000 daily fine in the headline and the spotlight becomes even brighter.

That does not mean the NTC action is wrong. But the timing deserves scrutiny.

Is the NTC simply doing its job, or is going after telcos also a convenient way to regain positive public sentiment after the Discord backlash?

Hold the telcos accountable. But government should also answer for its own actions. A spotlight should illuminate a problem, not distract people from another one.