The government of the Philippines expects a new telecoms law, House Bill 5882, will give it greater powers to fix rates and tariffs in the country assuming it is passed by the House of Representatives.

"Notwithstanding the so-called free competition, it cannot be determined whether prices are close to costs, whether consumers are being supplied with the best products in terms of pricing, or whether the telecommunication companies are getting fair and reasonable rates," House Representative Elpidio Barzaga Jr, told local news portal GMANews. "Unfortunately, the deregulation has not achieved its purpose because the rates of telecommunications companies are practically the same,’ he added. The politician’s new bill is designed to amend Sec. 17 of RA 7925 entitled An Act to Promote and Govern the Development of Philippine Telecommunications."