PLDT Inc said Tuesday it was taking steps to “improve” the government’s 8888 public complaints hotline after President Rodrigo Duterte complained that it was inaccessible at times.
Speaking in Cebuano during a campaign sortie in Cebu City last Sunday, Duterte said could shut PLDT unless the telco took action.
“Dili kaya sa present setup. Sige busy. Ingnang PLDT. Og dili, sila may akong sirhan. [laughter] Oo. Tinuod na. Di lang ko gustong manghambog. Naay utang sa gobyerno eight billion. Sukad pa na niadto. Way presidente nakapaningil… ” Duterte said.
(The present setup can’t accommodate all the calls. It’s always busy. Tell PLDT. If not, I’ll shut down their business. Oo, that’s true. I don’t want to brag, but they owe government eight billion. No President has ever asked for payment)
Responding to the President’s remarks, PLDT spokesman Ramon Isberto said: “We are currently taking steps to address the concern expressed by the President to improve the public’s access to the Citizen’s Complaint Center 8888 hotline number.”
Shares of PLDT were down 1.35 percent late on Tuesday compared to a 0.4-percent advance in the main index.
(abs-cbn news)