BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – Mayor Jerry Treñas has called on Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) to issue a written apology to subscribers affected by a series of internet downtimes here last week.
The disruptions caused significant inconvenience, particularly at City Hall, where the lack of internet connectivity hindered government transactions, he said.
While PLDT representatives, led by Dennis Macapagal, head of Panay/Palawan operations division, personally apologized to the mayor and assured that connectivity at City Hall had been restored, Treñas insisted on a formal written apology.
“I have no idea about the situation of other subscribers, as no report regarding their status has been provided to me,” Treñas said, underscoring the need for transparency from the telecommunications firm.
The mayor demanded that PLDT provide updates on their restoration efforts for other affected subscribers and set a deadline of 5 p.m. yesterday for the formal apology to be issued.
He further urged Macapagal to consider resigning if the demand was not met.
“Once again, I reiterate my demand for a written apology addressed to all affected subscribers. I expect PLDT to take this matter seriously and prioritize the needs of their customers moving forward. Rest assured, my office will continue to monitor this situation to ensure all commitments are fulfilled,” Treñas said.
In response, Macapagal issued a letter apologizing for both the service disruptions and unauthorized statements made by a contractor about the Calle Real underground cabling project.
He clarified that the contractor’s remarks were unfounded and did not reflect PLDT’s commitment to fairness and truth.
“We deeply regret any inconvenience or misunderstanding caused by this matter. Rest assured, we are taking the necessary steps to address this internally and prevent such incidents in the future,” Macapagal wrote.
He assured the mayor of PLDT’s dedication to completing the underground cabling project within the agreed timeline and pledged continued support for the city government./PN