Senator Legarda files bill to cut prepaid rates and stop unfair deductions

MANILA — Senator Loren Legarda has filed a bill aimed at lowering standard prepaid rates for calls and text messages while introducing stronger safeguards against unexpected load deductions and forfeited balances.

The proposed SULIT Load Act mandates a comprehensive review of regular prepaid charges by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), in coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC).

The evaluation will assess actual infrastructure costs, market competition, existing promo rates, and regional pricing dynamics.

Pending the review, the measure sets temporary maximum default rates for prepaid users: ₱0.50 per text, domestic mobile calls at ₱2.00 per minute; and mobile-to-landline calls at ₱3.00 per minute.

Legarda highlighted that while network capacities have advanced and promotional bundles have driven down overall costs, standard base rates for text and calls remain excessively high for everyday users.

“Napakalaki na ng ipinagbago ng telecommunications technology. Mas mabilis ang networks, mas malaki ang volume ng calls, texts, at data, at napakarami nang murang promo. Kaya makatuwiran lamang na tanungin: bakit ang regular na singil sa text at tawag ay parang naiwan pa rin sa nakaraan?” Legarda said.

She stressed that consumers should not be penalized with steep regular rates when promos expire, run out, or when making urgent calls.

“Kung kaya nang magbigay ng napakamurang calls, texts, at data sa iba't ibang promo, dapat may makatwirang presyo rin para sa ordinaryong paggamit. Hindi dapat napaparusahan ang isang subscriber dahil lang naubos ang promo niya o kailangan niyang tumawag agad,” she said.

The measure would also require telecommunications companies to provide clearer pricing information for prepaid promos, including the effective cost per gigabyte, mobile-call minute, SMS and landline-call minute.

Providers would also have to disclose the total price, validity period, restrictions and treatment of unused allocations.

Legarda said consumers should be able to compare prepaid offers without having to decipher complicated promotional packages.

“Kung namimili tayo ng bigas, gasolina, o ibang produkto, may presyo at sukatan na puwedeng ikumpara. Dapat ganoon din sa load. Dapat madaling makita kung magkano talaga ang binabayaran kada GB, kada minuto ng tawag, o kada text,” she said.

Under the bill, regular prepaid load would not expire as long as the subscriber's account remains active. Telecom companies would also be prohibited from unjustly forfeiting or deleting prepaid value that consumers have already purchased.

“Binayaran na ng subscriber ang load na iyon. Hangga't aktibo ang account, walang makatuwirang dahilan para basta mawala ang perang naipambili niya rito,” Legarda said.

The bill also seeks to address the cost of calls to landlines and essential service numbers used by banks, hospitals, schools, utilities, airlines, government agencies and customer service centers.

Legarda said prepaid users could lose significant amounts of load while waiting on hold for assistance.

“Hindi dapat bayaran nang mahal ang paghihintay. Kapag naka-hold ang isang prepaid subscriber sa ospital, bangko, o government hotline, tuloy ang bawas sa load kahit wala pa siyang natatanggap na aktwal na serbisyo.”

The measure would direct the NTC to consider lower rates, affordable packages and toll-free or shared-cost arrangements for calls to essential services, along with other safeguards for prepaid subscribers.

Government offices providing frontline services would also be required to establish at least one mobile-accessible contact channel, reducing reliance on landline numbers that can be costly to call from prepaid phones.

“Cellphone na ang pangunahing paraan ng komunikasyon ng napakaraming Pilipino. Dapat sumabay dito ang serbisyo publiko. Hindi dapat kailangan pang gumastos nang malaki ang isang tao para lamang mag-follow up ng dokumento, benepisyo, reklamo, o serbisyo mula sa gobyerno,” Legarda said.

The bill would further require free balance and usage inquiries, advance notices before out-of-promo charges begin, safeguards against unintended mobile data deductions, and accessible procedures for refunds or restoration of improperly deducted load.

“Long overdue na ang ganitong proteksyon. Mabilis ang naging pag-unlad ng telecommunications industry, at dapat maramdaman din iyon ng consumer sa presyo, transparency, at paraan ng pagtrato sa load na binayaran niya.”