THE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has collected over P900 million in supervision and regulatory fees (SRF) charged by the government to allow telephone, television or radio broadcast firms and cable television service providers to operate.
The SRF collected from the companies are due for payment every end of September and these fees are computed based on capital. Fifty centavos is charged for every P100 of paid up capital, the NTC said.
The NTC’s central office in Quezon City recorded a total collection of P901,302,180.16 in SRF at end-September this year. The amount is slightly lower compared from last year’s P930,757,793.04. In 2009 the NTC collected a total of P1,008,685,048.62 in SRF payments from more than 200 entities that are under the agency’s supervision.
Based on NTC records, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. paid P336,155,433.96. Its cellular telephone unit, Smart Communications Inc., remitted P68,814,311.50 to the commission.
Globe Telecom Inc. paid P169,733,900 in SRF, while unit Innove Communications Inc.’s payment amounted to P99,155,404.
Digital Telecommunications Philippines Inc. paid the NTC P44,878,745, while Bayan Telecommunications Inc.’s SRF stood at P35,999,640. All six phone firms paid their SRF dues on September 30.
The NTC also recorded SRF payments from its regional offices. In total, SRF payments totaled P945,204,107.61 as of September 30, 2011. For spectrum users fee (SUF), the NTC central office collected P1,623,051,718.45. The amount is higher than the P1,121,465,065.45 collected in the same period a year ago.
The SUF is collected from cellular firms, providers of broadband wireless access services, trunk radio operators and other entities that were assigned frequency bandwidth. Total SUF payments as of end-September collected by the agency nationwide amounted to P2,239,615,673.33
SRF and SUF make up the bulk of the agency’s revenue collection. When combined, the NTC posted P3,184,819,780.94 in SRF and SUF collection.
The NTC has plans to increase the SRF and SUF charges but such a move will require the Congressional approval. The NTC also eyes to raise administrative fees charged to phone firms, broadcasting firms and other entities.
NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba earlier said the agency is collecting around P250 million in yearly administrative fees. If the fees are increased by about 20 percent, the agency’s total collection would increase by as much as P50 million.
“We are working on the draft that will raise administrative fees to a minimum of 20 percent. The draft will be submitted to Neda [National Economic and Development Authority] for approval. If it is going to be implemented then this will increase our revenues by P50 million,” said the NTC chief.
