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Pursuant to the powers vested in the National Telecommunications Commission to promulgate rules and regulations to encourage a larger and more effective use of communications and of the pertinent provisions of Act 3846 as amended, the following rules and regulations to govern the installation, operation, and maintenance of a radio communication network by civic action organizations and their bonafide members are herein promulgated.

GENERAL

1.  Purpose — To prescribe the rules and regulations to govern the installation, operation and maintenance of a radiocommunication network to civic action organization actively engaged in public assistance during emergency or disasters involving the preservation of life, property, and the maintenance of the peace and order of a community or the country as a whole.  It shall also serve as a guide for the orderly, efficient, and effective utilization of the radio frequency spectrum.

2.  General Requirements

1.      Authorization of Civic Action Radio Network

1.1	A civic action organization, group, club, or society duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and having a bonafide minimum active membership of fifty (50) of good standing, may apply for a Permit to Operate Civic Action Radio Network with the Commission.
1.2	An application by the aforementioned entity to the Commission for Permit to Operate a Civic Action Radio Network must be accompanied with the following documents:
	1.2.1. An authenticated copy of its SEC Certificate of Registration, Articles of Incorporation, and By-Laws.
	1.2.2 A duly certified list of all its members, the Board of Directors, and Officers by the Secretary of the organization for the current year.
	1.2.3 A letter of intent specifying the technical description of its desired radiocommunication network together with the proposed network diagram showing its mode of operation, the exact location where the proposed radio stations are to be installed and/or area coverage duly signed and sealed by an Electronics and Communications Engineer.
	1.2.4 Existing Memorandum of Agreement signed by the organization with any government and/or non-government agency with whom the applicant renders civic assistance.
	1.2.5 National Bureau of Investigation Clearance for all its bonafide members secured at least three (3) months prior to its filing.

2. Applications, permits/licenses and operator certificates.

2.1	No organization, group, club or society, association engaged in a non-profit civic action activities shall be allowed to install, operate, and maintain a radio communication network and/or radio station(s) without first obtaining the following from the Commission:
	2.1.1 Permit to Purchase prior to the acquisition of the required radio equipment.
	2.1.2 Construction Permit prior to the Construction or installation of the Base (FB, FX, RPTR, etc.) station(s). For mobile radio stations, the radio station carries with it the authority to install or construct.
	2.1.3 Radio Station License prior to the operation of the radio stations.
	2.1.4 Appropriate Radio Operator’s Certificate for each of the organization’s radio station(s).
2.2	Any member of the organization or any other person who shall operate the organization’s radio station(s) shall be holders of valid radio operators certificates as follows:
	2.2.1 Operators of base (FB, FX, RPTR, etc.) radio stations shall be a holder of at least a Second Class Radio Telephone Operator Certificate.
	2.2.2 Operators of mobile/portable stations shall be a holder of at least a Restricted Land Mobile Certificate (RLMC).
2.3	A civic group radio station license shall be subject to annual renewal upon presentation to the Commission of the following:
	2.3.1 Properly accomplished application for renewal of each radio station license(s) and the original Radio Station License(s).
	2.3.2 Existing Memorandum of Agreement signed by the applicant with any governmental and/or non-governmental agency with whom the applicant renders civic assistance.
	2.3.3 Report or proofs of civic action activities.
2.4	The Commission reserves the right to deny any application filed which fails to meet the above requirement as a civic action group.

3.     Technical Provisions

3.1	Allocated bands of frequencies for Civic Action Radio Network(s).
	3.1.1 Within 400 MHz band:
	Simplex	— 429.500 — 429.725 MHz
	Duplex:	— TX 422.500— 422.600 MHz
		— RX:427.500 — 427.600 MHz
	3.1.2 Within 200 MHz band:
	Simplex	— 216.525 — 216.750 MHz
	Duplex	— TX:220.525 — 220.625 MHz
		RX:223.525 — 223.625 MHz
	3.1.3 Within VHF mid-band:
	Simplex	— 146.025 — 146.375 MHz
3.2	Operation on the above allocated bands on a particular frequency or pair of frequencies shall be made on the basis of Commission’s technical study as to which mode and technical parameter are deemed appropriate. All assignments shall be on strictly sharing and non-interference basis (NIB) only.
3.3	Only commercially type-accepted/approved radio equipment shall be allowed on this service. However, mobile and portable amateur type equipment which have been duly registered to members of old civic action group(s) with existing authorized radio network prior to the promulgation of this Circular may be allowed to operate pursuant to this Circular subject to grandfathering within three (3) years but not beyond December 31, 1995. After this period, no radio station license shall be renewed without this radio equipment having been replaced to a commercially type-accepted/approved unit.
3.4	Operation within the VHF mid-band shall be limited to simplex mode only. Existing stations of the commercial service operating within the above-mentioned allocated band shall be transferred to an appropriate band/channel within three (3) years after approval of this Circular.
3.5	Only one network shall be allowed to one civic organization. However, the same network, upon proper application may be reused by the group in areas not within their authorized area coverage. As far as practicable, only one (1) base station shall be allowed per service area of twenty five (25) km. radius.

This Circular shall take effect immediately and shall supersede or amend any Order, Circular or Memorandum inconsistent herewith.

Adopted: 7 Aug. 1992

(Sgd.) MARIANO E. BENEDICTO II
Commissioner