Strategies and developments of Philippine telecommunications industry: revisiting the struggle, liberalisation and innovations

The telecommunications industry plays a vital role in determining the competitiveness of a country in a global economy. Access to advanced communication technologies at reasonable prices is essential to the country's growth and economic development. However, in the Philippines, the government permitted the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), a privately-owned company to dominate the market for sixty-five years. PLDT influences the political and regulatory process of the country which gives them the power to bring about changes in regulations that further enhance the profits it earns. This paper critically examines the historical perspective, the country's industrial policies, the establishment of regulatory authorities, and their consequences in the development of the country's infrastructure. If the goal of the government is to promote competition in the telecom market, they must create competition in the telecommunications industry in order to encourage efficiency and optimal allocation of resources.