PH lawmakers pass bill requiring ISPs, telcos to issue automatic outage refunds

Manila, Philippines – The Philippines’ House of Representatives has approved House Bill 178, a measure that would require telecommunications companies and internet service providers to automatically issue refunds or bill adjustments to customers affected by prolonged service outages and interruptions.

House Bill 178, also referred to as the Automatic Refund for Internet and Telecommunications Services Outages and Disruptions Act, was passed on third and final reading by the Philippine Congress earlier this week. 

If enacted into law, it aims to strengthen consumer protection by mandating that service providers automatically credit customers who experience significant service disruptions without the need for the subscriber to file a separate complaint. 

Under the provisions outlined in the measure, a refund credit or billing adjustment would be triggered when a subscriber’s internet or telecommunications service is disrupted for an aggregate period of at least 24 hours within a single billing month. 

Scheduled maintenance notifications and outages caused by natural disasters, third-party actions, or subscriber-related issues may be exempt from mandatory refunds, depending on implementing rules yet to be defined.

Supporters of the bill, including its sponsors in the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology, say the measure is intended to promote greater accountability among service providers and reduce the burden on consumers who currently must often navigate complex complaint procedures to seek compensation for downtime.

The approval of HB 178 comes alongside other legislative efforts aimed at improving internet accessibility and consumer protections, as part of a broader slate of reforms passed by lawmakers in recent sessions.