Uphold consumers’ right to choose best broadband service
As the demand for perpetual connectivity to the internet increases due to the copious digital entertainment platforms presently available, not to mention the move to online web meetings in lieu of physical face-to-face conferences brought about by the pandemic, it is now therefore a necessity to have faster and cheaper internet connections more than ever.
Recently, issues regarding violations of competitive practices have made news due to the failure of certain property administrations to abide by the Philippine Competition Law – a policy underlining the importance of equitable distribution of opportunities which inevitably raises the potential for innovation, promotes productivity of entrepreneurs, and encourages private investment for the greater good.
In the case of Greenfield Development Corporation, Cerritos Heights and Lessandra Heights – all three privately owned properties are facing prospective penalties for anti-competitive practices. These said privately managed properties reportedly prevent other internet service providers (ISPs) from providing alternative internet services which are factually faster, more reliable, and most of all, cheaper than what these properties provide. This practice not only shortchanges tenants who pay unwillingly for substandard service, but also discourages other ISPs to foster better means of providing broadband service as demand will be lower.
This exploitative practice of cornering internet access violates the fundamental right of free choice of consumers, and more often than not, these internet providers not only do not meet the speed demands of its consumers, but also bore a hole in the user’s pockets as the prices are not commensurate to their desired output leaving them spending more for poor services.
Limitation of players and eschewing competitiveness destroys the essence of healthy competition. Fostering this competitive environment can help people to perform at a high level to produce quality products and spur innovation and provide cost advantage to the telecommunication company.
Healthy competition alone can provide users more choices, improve the quality of its output, and help to motivate people to put in that extra effort and perform at a higher level than they might have done otherwise. It can also give extra drive and ambition that help providers to do more. More often than not, the results of competition are far more positive than not having no competition.
Pursuant to the law, these violators may be penalized from up to 100,000,000 php to 200,000,000php, and/or imprisonment for responsible officers and directors. This is enough to be a deterrent for privately owned properties from ignoring the law, but some are still biting the bullet and completely feign ignorance to such. The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), society’s watchdog which ensures the law is being abided, should therefore conscientiously enforce the law to guarantee that fairness and impartiality is being observed. This allows providers to work more efficiently to satisfy consumer demand which further encourages expansion leading to more investments thereby fueling economic growth.
Patrick Climaco
Sec. General, BK3