AN ACT EXTENDING THE FRANCHISE GRANTED TO THE PHILIPPINE TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION TO ESTABLISH, INSTALL, MAINTAIN AND OPERATE WIRE AND/OR WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, LINES, CIRCUITS AND STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES FOR PUBLIC DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 4161, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 5048, TO ANOTHER TWENTY-FIVE (25) YEARS FROM THE DATE OF THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT

• Number: Republic Act No. 6970
• Sections: 7

Section 1

SECTION 1. Subject to the provisions of the Constitution and the laws and regulations on public telecommunications utilities as administered by the National Telecommunications Commission, and other applicable laws, there is hereby granted to the Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, hereinafter referred to as the grantee, a franchise to establish, install, operate and maintain in the Philippines, at such places as the said grantee may select, telecommunications facilities (lines, circuits, switching equipment, and/or stations) and services (such as telegraph, telex, record, data, voice and the like) for international and domestic public communications with the authority to receive and transmit messages, impressions, pictures, voice, digital and/or analog signals throughout the Philippines and between the Philippines and foreign countries, including ships at sea, airplanes and other conveyances, to supply and/or lease facilities for such purposes and to charge and receive compensation therefor for tolls and charges.

Section 2

SEC. 2. The life of the franchise of the Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corporation under Republic Act No. 4161, as amended by Republic Act No. 5048, is hereby renewed to another twenty-five (25) years from the date of the effectivity of this Act.

Any provision of Republic Act No. 4161, as amended by Republic Act No. 5048, to the contrary notwithstanding, the Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corporation shall pay franchise, income and other taxes as provided for in Executive Order No. 72.

Section 3

SEC. 3. In adherence to the constitutional mandate, the herein grantee shall comply with the enabling law implementing the democratization of ownership of all public utilities.

Section 4

SEC. 4. All other provisions, terms and conditions contained in Republic Act No. 4161, as amended by Republic Act No. 5048, which are otherwise not affected hereby are hereby made integral parts of this Act.

Section 5

SEC. 5. The franchise hereby granted shall be subject to amendment, alteration, or repeal by the Congress of the Philippines when the common good so requires.

Section 6

SEC. 6. In addition to the terms and conditions herein provided, the Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corporation shall submit an annual report under oath of its operations to the Congress of the Republic of the Philippines.

Section 7

SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date of its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

(Sgd.) JOVITO R. SALONGA

(Sgd.) RAMON V. MITRA

President of the Senate

Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on September 5, 1990 and September 6, 1990, respectively.

(Sgd.) EDWIN P. ACOBA

(Sgd.) QUIRINO D. ABAD SANTOS, JR.

Secretary of the Senate

Secretary of the House of Representatives

Approved: November 15, 1990

(Sgd.) CORAZON C. AQUINOPresident of the Philippines