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PHILIPPINE LAWS, STATUTES & CODES
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REPUBLIC ACTS
AN ACT GRANTING THE CLAVERIA
AGRI-BASED MULTIPURPOSE COOPERATIVE (CABMPC) A FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT,
ESTABLISH, INSTALL, MAINTAIN AND OPERATE LOCAL EXCHANGE NETWORK IN THE
MUNICIPALITIES OF CLAVERIA, STA. PRAXEDES AND SANCHES MIRA, ALL IN THE
PROVINCE OF CAGAYAN. |
Section 1. Nature and Scope of Franchise. – Subject to the provisions of the Constitution and applicable laws, rules and regulations, there is hereby granted to the Claveria Agri-Based Multipurpose Cooperative (CABMPC), hereunder referred to as the grantee, a franchise to construct, install, establish, operate and maintain for commercial purposes and in the public interest, local exchange network, including public calling stations or pay telephone stations or wireless local loop and their value – added services in the municipalities of Claveria, Sta. Praxedes and Sanchez Mira, all in the Province of Cagayan and for such purpose, provide basic telephone service capable of accessing local, national, international and other networks. Sec. 2. Manner of Operation of Stations or Facilities. – The stations or facilities of the grantee shall be constructed and operated in a manner as will, at most, result only in the minimum interference on the wavelengths or frequencies of existing stations or other stations which may be established by law, without in any way diminishing its own right to use its selected wavelengths or frequencies and the quality of transmission or reception thereon as should maximize rendition of its services and/or the availability thereof. In no way shall the operators of the grantee, nor the radiated power of its stations or facilities, exceed that required to cover the area where it is allowed to operate. Sec. 3. Authority of the National Telecommunications Communication. – The grantee shall secure from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), hereinafter referred to as the Commission, a certificate of public convenience and necessity or the appropriate permits and licenses for the construction, installation and operation of its telecommunications systems/facilities. In issuing the certificate, the Commission shall have the power to impose such conditions relative to the construction, operation, maintenance or service level of the telecommunications system. The Commission shall have the authority to regulate the construction and operation of its telecommunications systems. The grantee shall not use any frequency in the radio spectrum without having been authorized by the Commission. Such certificate shall state the areas covered and date the grantee shall commence the service. The Commission, however, shall not unreasonably withhold or delay the grant of any such authority, permits or licenses. Sec. 4. Responsibility to the Public. – The grantee shall conform to
the ethics for honest enterprise and shall not use its
stations/facilities for obscene or indecent transmission or for
dissemination of deliberately false information or willful
misrepresentation, or assist in subversive or treasonable acts. Sec. 5. Rates for Services. – The charges and rates for telecommunications services of the grantee, except the rates and charges on those that may hereafter be declared or considered as non regulated services, whether flat rates or measured rates or variation thereof, shall be subject to the approval of the Commission or its legal successor. The rates to be charged by the grantee shall be unbundled, separable and distinct among the services offered and shall be determined in such a manner that regulated services do not subsidize the unregulated ones. Sec. 6. Right of Government. – A special right is hereby reserved to
the President of the Philippines, in times of war, rebellion, public
peril, calamity, emergency, disaster or disturbance of peace and order,
to temporarily take over and operate the stations, transmitters,
facilities or equipment of the grantee, to temporarily suspend the
operation of any station, transmitter, facility or equipment in the
interest of public safety, security and public welfare, or to authorize
the temporary use and operation thereof by any agency of the
government, upon due compensation to the grantee for the use of said
stations, transmitters, facilities or equipment during the period when
they shall be so operated. Sec. 7. Term of Franchise. – This franchise shall be for a term of
twenty-five (25) years from the date of effectivity of this Act, unless
sooner revoked or cancelled. This franchise shall be deemed ipso facto
revoked in the event the grantee fails to comply with any of the
following conditions: (a)
Commence operation within three (3) years from the approval of its
operating permit or provisional authority by the NTC; Sec. 8. Acceptance and Compliance. – Acceptance of this franchise shall be given in writing within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act Upon giving such acceptance, the grantee shall exercise the privileges granted under this Act. Nonacceptance shall render the franchise void. Sec. 9. Bond. – The grantee shall file a bond issued in favor of the NTC, which shall determine the amount, to guarantee the compliance with and fulfillment of the conditions under which this franchise is granted. If, after five (5) years from the date of the approval of its permit by the Commission, the grantee shall have fulfilled the same, the bond shall be cancelled by the Commission. Otherwise, the bond shall be forfeited in favor of the government and the franchise ipso facto revoked. Sec. 10. Right of Interconnection. – The grantee is hereby authorized to connect or demand connection of its telecommunications systems to any other telecommunication systems installed, operated and maintained by any other duly authorized person or entity in the Philippines for the purpose of providing extended and improved telecommunications services to the public, under such terms and conditions mutually agreed upon by the parties concerned and the same shall be subject to the review and modification of the Commission. Sec. 11. Tax Provisions. – The grantee shall be subject to the payment
of all taxes, duties, fees or charges and other impositions under the
National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) of 1997, as amended, and other
applicable laws: Provided, That nothing herein shall be construed as
repealing any specific tax exemptions, incentives or privileges granted
under any relevant law: Provided, further, That all rights, privileges,
benefits and exemptions accorded to existing and future
telecommunications franchises, if any, shall likewise be extended to
the grantee. Sec. 12. Gross Receipts. – The grantee shall keep a separate account of the gross receipts of the business transacted by it and shall furnish the Commission on Audit (COA) and the National Treasury a copy of such account not later than the thirty-first (31st) day of January of each year for the preceding twelve (12) months. Sec. 13. Books and Accounts. – The books and accounts of the grantee shall always be open to the inspection of the commissioner on Audit or his authorized representatives and it shall be duty of the grantee to submit to the COA, two (2) copies of the quarterly reports on the gross receipts, the net profits and he general condition of the business. Sec. 14. Warranty in Favor of the National and Local Governments. – The grantee shall hold the national, provincial city and municipal governments of the Philippines harmless form all claims, accounts, demands or actions arising out of accidents or injuries, whether to property or to persons, caused by the construction or operation of the stations, transmitters, facilities and equipment of the grantee. Sec. 15. Nontransferability of Franchise. – The grantee shall not lese, transfer, grant the usufruct of, sell nor assign this franchise or the rights and privileges acquired thereunder to any person, firm, company, corporation or other commercial or legal entity, nor merge with any other corporation or entity, nor shall the controlling interest of the grantee be transferred, whether as whole or in parts and whether simultaneously or contemporaneously, to any such person, firm, company, corporation or entity. Sec. 16. Equality Clause. – Any advantage, favor, privilege, exemption or immunity granted under existing franchise, or may hereafter be granted, shall ipso facto become part of this franchise and shall be accorded immediately unconditionally to the herein grantee: Provided, however, That the foregoing shall neither apply to nor affect provisions of telecommunications franchise concerning territory covered by the franchise, the life span of the franchise or the type of service authorized by the franchise. Sec. 17. Separability Clause. – If any of the Sec. or provisions of this Act is held invalid, all other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid. Sec. 18. Repealability and Non-exclusivity Clause. – This franchise shall be subject to amendment, alteration or repeal by the Congress of the Philippines when the public interest so requires and shall not be interpreted as an exclusive grant of the privileges herein provided for. Sec. 19. Reportorial Requirement. – The grantee shall submit an annual report to the Congress of the Philippines on its compliance with the terms and conditions of the franchise and on its operations within sixty (6) days from the end of every year. Sec. 20. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days from the date of its publication, upon the initiative of the
grantee, in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the
Philippines. (Note: Lapsed into law on August 8,
2004, without the signature of the President, |
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