Mobile number portability 2.14.

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In the said law, which was signed on Tuesday, mobile service providers are required to provide
nationwide mobile number portability to subscribers.

Republic Act 11202 or Mobile Number Portability Act imposes a “no interconnection fee policy” on
users making domestic calls and text messages.

As of writing, two of the country’s biggest telecommunication companies, Globe and Smart,
expressed support to the bill. However, some subscribers aired concerns about having to inform their
contacts should they change network providers.

Eliseo M. Rio, Jr., who has been the acting secretary of the DICT since former
Secretary Rodolfo A. Salalima resigned in September 2017, said Mr. Honasan
was not reappointed because of legal restrictions.

“Hindi siya na-reappoint ng Presidente because… Alam mo, meron

sa Constitution natin, Article 6 Section 13, na (He wasn’t reappointed by the
President because… You know, Article 6 Section 13 of our Constitution says)
a senator or congressman cannot be appointed to a government agency that
was created during his term,” Mr. Rio said in a Feb. 19 interview.

Art. 6 Sec. 13 of the 1987 Constitution reads in part: “No Senator or Member
of the House of Representatives may hold any other office or employment in
the Government… during his term without forfeiting his seat” and “Neither
shall he be appointed to any office which may have been created or the
emoluments thereof increased during the term for which he was elected.”

The DICT was formed on May 23, 2016 through Republic Act No. 10844,
which was passed while Mr. Honasan was a member of the 16th Congress as
a senator.