President Duterte Approves National Broadband Plan

Presidential Approved: The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) proposed to develop a National broadband network for the purpose of letting all Filipino citizens have an access to internet.

The DICT officials also aims to make the public have an easier connection to government services or agencies online, instead of having them wait long queues and fill government facilities.

ICT Under Secretary Denis Villorente said,”Instead of waiting in line, waiting under the sun at different government agencies, they will have the different government websites available from the comfort of their own homes.”

The DICT was also tasked by the president to pursue the use of fiber optic cables and wireless technologies to boost internet connection across the country.

The network will mainly serve as a portal of the government agencies.

Back in 2007, the national broadband network was put into a halt because of the allegation under former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other officials about the $329 Million corruption scandal.

ICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima then said that they have posted the broadband plan at their website and it is open for the public’s opinions or comments also to promote transparency and reduce the risk of corruption.

A feasibility study will be organized in the second quarter of the year once the plan is published.

The amount of the overall establishment of the plan is not yet final but the estimation ranges from 70 Billion to 200 Billion pesos.

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