President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (File photo) MANILA - President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has signed laws extending the franchises granted to Smart Broadband, Inc. and five other telecommunication firms for another 25 years. Duterte signed all six laws on April 8, according to copies released to Palace reporters on Monday. Under Republic Act 11678, Meridian Telekoms, Inc., presently known as Smart Broadband, Inc. will be allowed to "construct, install, establish, maintain, lease, and operate wire and/or wireless telecommunications systems throughout the Philippines." RA 11678 mandated Smart Broadband, Inc. to secure from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity or the appropriate permits and licenses. Smart Broadband, Inc. was also mandated not to "sell, lease, transfer, grant the usufruct of, nor assign this franchise or the rights and privileges acquired thereunder to any person, firm, company, corporation, or other com
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President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed new laws, which extended the telecommunication franchise of Smart Broadband Inc. and five other companies. Three other measures were also signed into law last week, which allowed three other organizations to start their own broadcast operations. Under Republic Act (RA) 11678, the franchise of Smart…