City council to PLDT again: Shape up

By Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY – The city council during the session Monday, told representatives of the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications, Inc. (PLDT) for the nth time to improve their internet services and to effectively address persisting problems encountered by their clients.
    Edwin Villena, Zone Head of PLDT-Baguio, told the city council they were doing all means to restore disrupted internet connections the soonest possible time.   
    Villena said they closely monitor their main lines to immediately resolve glitches.
    He said they try their best to address all individual concerns reported in their business offices or through their hotline number 173.
    “Before, the mandate from our main office was to restore disruptions within 48 hours. But now, we are mandated to do the restoration within 24 hours,” he said. 
    Remaining copper lines are also currently being converted to fiber optics, he added.
    Based on their records, there are around 2,000 remaining lines mostly located in buildings that still need to be migrated.
    Previously, the council passed a resolution requesting the PLDT Telecommunications, Inc. to adjust the local fees and charges on the use of its facilities in view of the unstable delivery of internet and telephone services in the city.
Councilor Isabelo Cosalan, author of the resolution, said PLDT-Baguio must come up with adjusted local fees in the city while its facilities are being improved or upgraded.
    Villena said local fees should not deviate from the fees imposed by their central office.
    However, he said he would relay the city council’s request to their higher-ups.
    He added rebates are given to clients whose complaints are reported to and verified by their technical support team.
    Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales said PLDT had been summoned by the city council many times due to issues raised by many residents in the city on the telco’s “unsatisfactory” services.
    “I hope that these concerns will now be addressed in the most efficient manner. I hope that this is already the last time that we call for you to bring up concerns that have already been repeatedly brought up during the previous sessions since 2018,” Orcales said.