Press Release
October 2, 2009

CHIZ TO TELCOS : PROVIDE WEATHER UPDATES REGULARLY

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday said telecommunications firms could play a bigger role in saving lives and property by using their access to the latest technology and resources to inform the public regularly of weather forecasts in the country.

He added that that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) should study the possibility of coming up with a regulation requiring these companies to make it part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR).

"The NTC could come up with a law directing telcos to send updated weather bulletins and climate conditions to all their subscribers as a public service," the 39-year-old lawmaker stressed.

"Such information will surely be appreciated than unwanted infomercials, music downloads and promotional gimmicks."

Escudero said the scale of typhoon Ondoy's onslaught last weekend, and its continuing consequences as magnified by the fight for survival among the hundreds of thousands who were affected, should also convince Telcos to come up with a hotline that the public can call to provide or seek information.

"They may want to provide free-of-charge calls and texts to residents in disaster areas to help save lives," he stressed.

He said that in customer-centered businesses, companies must move beyond profit maximization to include a wide commitment to helping build a better society in general.

"Having a good CSR policy does not just mean writing a big check. It means that even in its day-to-day business activities and extracurricular activities, a company thinks of the needs of communities and the environment in the long run."

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