Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 5348)
The primary purpose of Republic Act No. 5348 is to grant Monark International, Inc. a temporary permit to construct, establish, maintain, and operate private fixed point-to-point, coastal, land-based, aeronautical, and land-mobile radio stations for reception and transmission of radio communications within the Philippines.
The Secretary of Public Works and Communications has the authority to approve the locations of the radio stations to be established by Monark International, Inc.
The President may permit the location of radio stations on lands of the public domain under terms and conditions he may prescribe.
The temporary permit is valid as long as the government has not established similar services at the selected places and is contingent upon at least one station being constructed within one year and completed within two years from the approval date of the Act.
No, Monark International, Inc. is not allowed to engage in domestic telecommunications business in the Philippines without further special assent from the Congress of the Philippines.
The temporary permit takes effect only after the Secretary of Public Works and Communications has allotted the frequencies and wavelengths to be used by the grantee.
The grantee must construct and operate its radio stations so as not to interfere with the operation of other radio stations within the Philippines.
The grantee agrees to hold these government entities harmless from all claims, demands, or actions arising from accidents or injuries caused by the construction or operation of its radio stations.
No, the grantee cannot lease, transfer, grant usufruct of, sell or assign the permit or its rights to any person, natural or juridical, without prior approval of the Congress.
In times of war, insurrection, public peril, emergency, calamity, or disaster, the President can order the closing of the stations or authorize government use or possession upon payment of just compensation.
Yes, the permit is subject to amendment, alteration, or repeal by the Congress of the Philippines when public interest requires it.