The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill which will allow mobile users to switch between network providers without losing one’s own “digital identity”.

Senator Win Gatchalian called on the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to craft a comprehensive plan to reintegrate more than 10,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are expected to be repatriated from Kuwait following the Duterte administration's decision to implement a complete ban on the deployment of OFWs to the Middle Eastern country.

Senator Win Gatchalian urged the government to immediately implement countermeasures to soften the blow of rising inflation on underprivileged Filipinos, warning that inaction could result in growing hunger rates across the country.

Senator Win Gatchalian is pushing for the removal of barriers of entry for foreign firms in the retail trade sector that would boost foreign direct investment and develop a more progressive investment climate in the country.

Senator Win Gatchalian has filed Senate Bill No. 1643, also known as the “Network Freedom Act”, a measure which prohibits mobile telecommunications companies from locking their mobile devices, whether sold as a unit or under a service contract, to their respective networks.

Senator Win Gatchalian, who delivered his sponsorship speech this week for his bill, assured that the Lifetime Cellphone Number Act (Senate Bill No. 1636) is set to give consumers the power to keep their cellphone numbers for life, even if they change service providers or switch from postpaid to prepaid subscription, and vice versa.

In light of the possible entry of a new telco player next year, Senator Win Gatchalian is calling on Malacanang to certify as urgent the bill that would allow users to "easily transfer network providers without changing their preferred mobile numbers".

Senator Win Gatchalian voted for the ratification of the Bicameral Conference Committee version of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) bill while reiterating his strong reservations against the coal tax provision of the measure.

Senator Win Gatchalian is optimistic that the Lifetime Cellphone Number Act will encourage entry of new players and stimulate healthy competition within the telecommunications industry.