| Introduced | 1990 |
|---|---|
| TLD type | country code top-level domain |
| Status | Active |
| Registry | dotPH Domains Inc. |
| Sponsor | PH Domain Foundation |
| Intended use | Entities connected with the Philippines |
| Actual use | Used by various individuals, businesses, and organizations in the Philippines, although many still opt for the cheaper .com and .net domains. Formerly marketed as a global domain .ph for phones. |
| Registration restrictions | None in general; some specific subdomains may have restrictions; domain names are written in basic Latin alphabet without diacritics only. |
| Structure | Registration may be done at second level or at third level beneath generic-category 2nd level domains such as .com.ph |
| Dispute policies | UDRP |
| Website | www.dot.ph |
.ph is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the Philippines.
Contents |
The official domain registry of the .ph domain is dotPH Domains Inc.[1] dotPH holds and maintains the database of PH domain names, specifically .ph, .com.ph, .net.ph, .org.ph, and .i.ph.[2][3][4] Its domain name registrars are not only individuals, businesses, and organizations in the Philippines, but also those in other parts of the world.[1]
The PH domain is currently administered by Jose Emmanuel "Joel" Disini,[5] who is also dotPH's current CEO.[6][7] Disini has been the domain administrator since Jon Postel assigned him the domain in 1990.[8][9] The domain is sponsored by the PH Domain Foundation,[5] a social outreach arm of dotPH which was also founded by Disini together with a group of IT professionals in August 1999.[10]
In 1994, the administration of the .gov.ph domain was sub-delegated to the Philippine government.[11] In like manner, .edu.ph was sub-delegated to the Philippine Network Foundation, Inc. (PHNET).[12]
Aside for being the registry, dotPH also sells domains and web-related services such as web hosting and web design.[13] It also offers free blogging services through .i.ph domains.[3][4]
Managed by dotPH
Managed by DOST - ASTI
Managed by PHNET
In 1989, Joel Disini founded the Email Company (EMC), one of the earliest Internet service providers in the Philippines.[14][15] At that time most networks (including EMC) were connected to the Internet via UUCP. Disini's network had a UUCP connection to UUNET. This network connection, along with Disini's five-year experience in Macintosh Networking & Communications software development at Cupertino, California, became Jon Postel's basis for delegating the .ph domain to him.[9] The .ph country code top-level domain was officially delegated on September 14, 1990.[5] Since then, .ph domains became commercially available to EMC customers.[8][16]
In 1994, the PHNET wide-area network, a project funded by DOST, completed its development and was able to connect the Philippines to the rest of the world by establishing TCP/IP connections to the U.S. using 64 kbit/s international leased lines.[17]
At this point, the PHNET Foundation wanted to assume responsibility to run the .ph domain registry. So they made negotiations with Disini, but they failed. Negotiations persisted, and eventually Disini gave in to the pressure and transferred the administration of .gov.ph and .edu.ph to PHNET Foundation. Later on PHNET Foundation would pass the administration of .gov.ph to DOST.[8]
At that time domain fees ranged from Php 450 to Php 1,350.[8] Domains registered during this period had no expiration and therefore had no renewal rates, thus the label lifetime domains.[18] However, a fee was charged for modifications to these domains. Lifetme domains were non-transferable, and were only valid for the lifetime of the original Registrant.
In August 1999 Disini and the technical people at EMC formed the PH Domain Foundation. It sought to promote the Internet and free unlimited email services in rural areas.[10] It also took charge of the domain selling business[19] and the management of the .ph domain registry.[5]
On October 1, 1999, the PH Domain Foundation launched a fully automated online system for domain registration. It also launched a flat .ph domain space, enabling people to register domains like "domainname.ph".[20][21] Lifetime domain registration was halted, and all domains registered subsequently carried expiration dates. Domain owners now had to renew their domains for a fee to extend their lifetime.[18]
At around this period, the "for-profit" business and technical side of the PH Domain Foundation became identified as dotPH. Activities related to domains and the business were now attributed to dotPH, such as the resolution on the dispute between Yahoo! Philippines and another Philippine company[22], the launching of the automated online registration system,[21] and even the administration of the .ph domain registry itself. To this day, dotPH maintains itself as the official domain registry of the Philippines.[23]
In 2000, dotPH developed a system called the Shared Registry System (SRS) which enabled domain name registrars and ISP's to manage domains and accept registrations on their own website by connecting to the dotPH registry backend. This is done by downloading and installing on their server a module that does the actual communication with the registry backend using an XML-based protocol.[24]
dotPH also became one of the first Philippine websites to accept online credit card payments.[1]
(These are for .ph, .com.ph, .net.ph, .org.ph, and .i.ph domain names. For .edu.ph policies, see http://services.ph.net/dns/policies/generalpolicy/generalpolicy.html and for .mil.ph and .gov.ph policies, see http://www.asti.dost.gov.ph )
All domain names are serviced for limited periods. Specifically, Nameholders may choose to register a domain for the following time periods:
In the absence of any successful legal challenge, the Nameholder has the right of first refusal to renew the service of Nameholder's domain name. This right expires on the last day of the initial term or then existing term of service for which dotPH has received payment.
Nameholder agrees that the Service Agreement shall be governed in all respects by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Philippines. By submitting a domain name for registration, Nameholder consents to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the appropriate court in Pasig City, Philippines. The Nameholder further agrees to abide by DotPH's Policies, especially it's Dispute Resolution Policy, patterned after ICANN's UDRP.
Persons wishing to apply for the Domain Name Service of dotPH Inc. ("dotPH") need only register online at www.dot.ph and submit their contact information. There are no other requirements.
In 2001 several complaints against dotPH were formally filed by members of PhilDAC with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). One complaint was formally withdrawn, and the rest were eventually dismissed with prejudice for reasons including "failure to prosecute" and "lack of interest".
After studies made by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in 2002, the Philippine Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) Commissioner, Ver Pena, created an Advisory Board composed of representatives from the academe and various industry groups, including PhilDAC, to draft guidelines for the operations of the PH ccTLD. After two public hearings conducted through the NTC in 2004, the "Guidelines in the Administration of the .ph Domain Name" was issued by the CICT in November 2004.
The administrator has publicly expressed doubts about the viability of the Guidelines, and raised questions about the manner in which the Advisory Board was appointed. In particular, that dotPH was excluded from participating in drafting the Guidelines and from the Board's subsequent deliberations; and that the Guidelines contain practically no input from dotPH representatives despite their submission of several position papers. PhilDAC, however, has responded by pointing out that the administrator was invited to participate in the two hearings but refused to do so.
The administration of the PH ccTLD has long been criticized by some members of the Philippine Domain-Name Authority Convenors (PhilDAC). Members of PhilDAC have been involved in five separate attempts to redelegate and seize control of the PH domain, claiming as their basis, the need for greater transparency, accountability, and community input in the way PH Domain Policy is created.[11]
Currently Jose Emmanuel Disini is the administrator, decision maker and only registrar of the PH domain. PhilDAC asserts Disini uses the registry for his own personal interests.[25] Disini's claims the PH domain is better off being "policy light", rather than being policy heavy.[26] PhilDAC replies Policy Oversight will not result in undue or burdensome requirements. Public hearings were held, instead of attending Disini sent position a position paper,[26] PhilDAC reply is written by Horacio T. Cadiz.[27] The CICT Guidelines call for the separation of the Registry from the Administrator. While Mr. Disini claims they have been separate as of 1999, with the PH Domain Foundation as the Administrator, and DotPH as the Registry, PhilDAC contends they are run by Mr. Disini himself or his representatives. The PH Domain Foundation website actually states that it "is the social outreach arm of the local PH domain registry (dotPH)".[28]
PhilDAC says that because the Administrator and Registry are not separate, the redelegation clause of the Guidelines has become operative. Disini maintains that the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) guidelines were created under such a climate of hostility, that it is riddled with factual errors. The CICT came under fire for its involvement in the ZTE scandal and has not revived the guidelines.