Law Summary
Regulatory Authority
- The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) holds exclusive regulatory and supervisory authority over the cable television industry in the Philippines.
Requirements for Operation and Advertising
- Only entities with a Provisional Authority or Certificate of Authority from the NTC may install, operate, and maintain cable television systems.
- Cable TV operators may carry advertisements and other paid segments.
- Operators must obtain consent from program providers before inserting advertisements into retransmitted programs.
Restrictions on Other Service Providers
- Local exchange operators, broadcasters, and other providers of video programming using various technologies cannot operate cable TV systems without specific permits or licenses.
- Such authority must conform with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including those set forth in this Executive Order.
Conditions for Granting Additional Authorities
- NTC may grant a new authority within an existing franchise area only if:
- The prior operator has failed to substantially comply with authorization terms without sufficient justification.
- Current cable service is grossly inadequate.
- Granting authority will not lead to ruinous competition or contradict investment policies.
Leasing Excess Capacity
- Cable television operators may lease or sub-lease excess system capacity to third parties, subject to prior NTC approval.
Program Signal Distribution
- Receipt and distribution of encoded satellite program signals require written authorization from the satellite programmer.
Enforcement and Penalties
- NTC is tasked to implement this Executive Order and to adopt necessary rules and regulations.
- NTC shall conduct hearings and impose penalties, including administrative fines and sanctions, for law or rule violations.
Repeal and Amendment of Inconsistent Issuances
- All conflicting executive orders, administrative orders, and other issuances are repealed, modified, or amended to conform to this Executive Order.
Effectivity
- The Executive Order takes effect immediately upon approval by the President.