MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to take over the selection of the third major telecommunications player in the country if officials given the task fail to make the pick on time, an official said Tuesday.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Eliseo Rio said officials involved in making the choice would be "dead" if the bidding is not finished before the holidays.

Rio, who also heads the Oversight Committee supervising the entry of the third major telco player, unveiled in a press briefing the latest selection schedule the President approved.

Based on this, the official said the third telco would be named by November.

"If the bidding fails and we cannot remedy it before Christmas, then we are dead and he [President Duterte] takes over. We will cross the bridge when we get there," Rio told reporters in a press briefing.

DETAILED TIMELINE FOR THE SELECTION OF THIRD TELCO:

Effectivity of the Memorandum Circular - October 6

Invitation to Bid - October 7

Issuance of Selection Documents - October 8

Pre-selection Information Session and Form A training – October 15

Last Day of Submission of Clarification Questions - October 22

Last Day for Response of Clarificatory Questions - November 2

Submission and Opening of Bids - November 7

DICT, NTC timeline for the selection of the New Major Player in Telecoms. @ABSCBNNews @ANCALERTS pic.twitter.com/ZlB1IapJoF — Warren de Guzman (@wddeguzman) October 2, 2018

Rio said concerns of some participants would be raised during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, such as the "tight schedule" and provisions that favor the "big boys."

Duterte earlier said he aimed to make his pick in October or November, vowing to select the participant with "the best track record."

Duterte sought the entry of a third player citing poor service of current telco firms.

-- with a report by Warren de Guzman