VILLAR-OWNED TELCO FRANCHISE

INAPRUBAHAN na ni ­Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang prangkisa ng Villar-owned Streamtech Systems Technologies Inc. upang magkaloob ng telecommunications services sa buong bansa.

Nilagdaan ni Duterte ang Republic Act No. 11089 noong ­Oktubre 18, 2018, na nagpapahintulot sa Streamtech na magtayo, magkabit, mag-operate at magmantina ng te­lecommunications systems sa buong Filipinas.

Sa ilalim ng batas, ang prangkisa ay epektibo sa loob ng 25 taon.

“The franchise also includes wire or wireless telecommunications, internal and national broadband, mobile and cellular. It also includes the ­construction, acquisition, lease, ma­nagement and operation of transmission stations, lines and cables.”

Magkakabisa ang batas 15 araw matapos na malathala sa Official Gazette. Ang signatories nito ay kinabibilangan din nina Senate President Tito Sotto at Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Nakapaloob sa prangkisa na kailangang pag-ibayuhin at paabutin ng Streamtech ang serbisyo nito sa mga lugar na hindi naseserbisyuhan at sa hazard at typhoon prone areas na tutukuyin ng  National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, sa pakikipagtulungan ng National Te­lecommunications Commission.

Nakasaad pa sa batas na nagkakaloob ng prangkisa sa Streamtech na, “any advantage, favor, privilege, exemption or immunity granted under existing franchises or which may hereafter be granted upon review and approval of Congress shall become part of his franchise and will be accorded immediately and unconditionally, provided that the foregoing will neither apply to nor affect the provision of telecommunications franchises concerning the territory covered by the franchise, the life span o the franchise or the type of service authorized by the franchise.”

Ang Streamtech ay pinamumunuan ni Manuel Paolo Villar, anak nina dating Senate President at real estate tycoon Manuel Villar, Jr. at Senadora Cynthia Villar, at kapatid ni Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar.

Nauna nang sinabi ni Mark Villar na hindi niya gagamitin ang kanyang impluwensiya para maisulong ang interes ng Streamtech.

“There is nothing legally wrong with the family’s telecommunications venture,” ani Villar.

Ang iba pang negosyo ng mga Villar ay kinabibilangan ng property giant Vista Land at Lifescapes, shopping mall operator Starmalls, Inc. at  Golden Haven Memorial Park,  na nakatala sa stock exchange noong 2016.