National Telecommunications Commission set to oversee '.ph' ccTLD

The government of the Philippines has issued a memorandum order stating that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) will oversee the administration of the '.ph' country-code top-level domain (ccTLD).

A private company - dotPH - administers the registration of the '.ph' ccTLD in the Philippines. Under the registration rules, a '.ph' domain name will only be issued upon payment of the required registration fee and provided that the domain name has not been registered or reserved by another party. Registrants need not be based in the Philippines.

The '.ph' ccTLD has met with a favourable reaction from the public. In response to its popularity, the Office of the Executive Secretary has issued a memorandum order delegating to the NTC supervisory functions in relation to the registration of '.ph' domain names. The order also directs the creation of an advisory board, which will assist the NTC in the exercise of its new functions and in drafting guidelines delineating the NTC's powers and responsibilities. The advisory board, which will be composed of government officials and members of the academic world and the private sector, is expected to convene for the first time later this month.

Cecile M E Caro, SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan, Manila