Senators agree telcos must improve but split on Duterte threat of expropriation

MANILA, Philippines — Several senators agree that telecommunication services in the country need much improvement, but not all of them are on board President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat of government expropriation of the telecommunication companies. Some businessmen saw the President’s warning as “a clear and present danger” to PLDT Smart and Globe Telecom after the House of Representatives recently denied broadcaster ABS-CBN’s application for renewal of its franchise. In his address to a joint session of Congress on Monday, Duterte upbraided the two telcos for their poor service and gave them up to December to introduce improvements or face government expropriation.