More industries to be opened to foreignersIt’s just a matter of time before vital industries like telecommunications will no longer be bound by constitutional restrictions on foreign ownership. In particular, it seeks to put a distinction between the terms “public utility” and “public service,” which at the moment are being used interchangeably. Nowhere in the PSA does it mention about public utilities, nor does it say that public service providers and public utilities are one and the same. The Constitution also provides that all executive and managing officers of public utilities must be citizens of the Philippines, that public utilities are subject to temporary or permanent takeover by the government, among others. This means that the broadcasting industry, currently classified as a public utility, cannot be opened up to foreign ownership by law.

Source: Philippine Star December 17, 2021 20:45 UTC