Malacañang expects to name the third telecommunications provider by November in keeping with the deadline set by the President himself.

“That is the deadline given by the President. Hopefully, it will be met,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said on Tuesday.

This developed even though the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the selection process faces a delay due to a complaint lodged by NOW Telecom against the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) over its alleged “money-making scheme.”

NOW Telecom questioned the NTC requirement asking bidders for a P700-million participation security, P14 billion to P24 billion as performance security and P10 million in non-refundable appeal fee.

The irate bidder is also asking a Manila court to issue a temporary restraining order on certain provisions stated in the terms of reference.

Should the deadline lapse, President Duterte will not hesitate to step in and take over the selection process as he mentioned time and again in the past.

“The new provider must have the ‘best track record,’” Panelo said.

Earlier this year, President Duterte pushed for the entry of a third telecom carrier to break the duopoly of Globe Telecoms and Smart Communications and give consumers better mobile voice and data services than are possible at present.