Government, telcos join hands vs phone theft

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – A memorandum of agreement (MOA) has been signed recently by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and big cellular phone providers in order to block or render useless stolen cell phone units.

Under the MOA forged by the NTC, Smart, Globe, Islacom, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters ng Pilipinas (KBP), the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and the Philippine Electronics and Telecommunications Federation (PETEF), the cell phone companies would "block" in their networks the numbers of stolen cell phones.

Owners of stolen cell phones are required to file affidavits of ownership and loss before an NTC office with valid identification cards and police reports.

According to the MOA signed early this month, the NTC will be receiving reports or complaints and will be forwarding them to cell phone companies concerned.

The KBP and the PIA, for their part, will help in disseminating information against cellular phone robbery and the procedures in filing a request for the phone number’s blockage.

NTC Commissioner Eliseo Rio Jr. recently issued a memorandum requiring all regional NTC officials to strictly implement the agreement. – Ric Sapnu