The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) are set to meet with telecommunications companies to establish guidelines for the use of the emergency cell broadcast system.
DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy stated that there are currently no specific rules in place for this system, and discussions will be held with telcos to determine parameters for its utilization.
"In the future, we probably need to be more circumspect in using that kind of platform. So wala kasing specific rules pa on that. I think DICT, NTC will now sit down with the telcos and establish certain parameters on how and when these types of emergency broadcast are going to be utilized," he said.
This comes after a telco, Globe Telecom, faced criticism for sending out "extreme" emergency alerts urging users to register their SIM cards before the original deadline of April 26, which caused unnecessary panic among some netizens.
Globe Telecom argued that the alerts were necessary as the registration deadline approached, although the government has since extended the registration period for another 90 days.
Uy called Globe Telecom's approach "unorthodox" but acknowledged that desperate times may call for desperate measures, as there are still many who have not registered their SIM cards.
