Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 8450 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SECTION 1. Nature and Scope of Franchise. - Subject to the provisions of the Constitution and applicable laws, rules and regulations, there is hereby granted to the Southern Telecommunications Company, Inc., hereunder referred to as the grantee, its successors or assigns, a franchise to construct, establish, install, maintain and operate for commercial purposes and in the public interest, local exchange network, including public calling stations or pay telephone stations or wireless local loop and for such purposes provide basic telephone service or other means related to the foregoing now known to science or which in the future may be developed, in the City of Cagayan de Oro and in the provinces of Bukidnon, Cebu and Albay, with extension service coverage to the provinces of Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Masbate, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon, Mountain Province, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan, Isabela, Cagayan Valley, Batanes, llocos Sur, llocos Norte, Cordillera Region, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Leyte, Panay Island, Siquijor, Palawan, Surigao Del Sur, Surigao Del Norte, Camiguin Island, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao, Zamboanga Del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur and the Davao provinces, including all component and chartered cities therein, for public domestic telecommunications."

SEC. 2. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date of its publication, upon the initiative of the grantee, in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

Approved,

(Sgd.) AQUILINO Q. PIMENTEL, JR.	(Sgd.) FELICIANO BELMONTE , JR.
President of the Senate	Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on October 25, 2000 and February 5, 2001, respectively.

(Sgd.) LUTGARDO B. BARBO	(Sgd.) ROBERTO P. NAZARENO
Secretary of the Senate	Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: