Agreement reached on broadband scheme

By JORDEENE SHEEX LAGARE on April 19, 2018

http://www.manilatimes.net/agreement-reached-on-broadband-scheme/393449/

The government is close to realizing its goal of bringing high-speed internet to the country with common ground for a broadband plan having been reached by concerned parties, a government official claimed on Wednesday.

An agreement — but not yet a formal deal — was settled between the Department of Information and
Communications Technology (DICT), National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), and National Transmission Corp. (TransCo), TransCo President Melvin Matibag told reporters.

“One of the provisions … which is important, I think, is we agreed that in any way the memorandum of agreement will not affect any claims of both TransCo and NGCP,” Matibag said, declining to provide more details.

“It cannot be used as evidence in any forum as to the other claims except for the purpose that we want to push with the broadband project,” he noted.

Matibag said the draft agreement had been presented to the Transco board. The NGCP is still finalizing its schedule, meanwhile, and Matibag said more meetings will be held among the parties.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said he was satisfied with the draft accord.

“That’s a good thing. That’s what I’m asking for from the very beginning, that it (fiber optic technology) be used for the benefit of the Filipinos,” the Energy chief added.

Cusi had urged the entities involved to sign tripartite agreement to avoid conflicts and delays in implementing the broadband plan.

In February, the DICT committed to partner with the NGCP on using the latter’s fiber optic cables as the backbone of the National Broadband Plan.

DICT officer-in-charge Eliseo Rio Jr. has said the cables will be used up to the end of NGCP’s concession agreement in 2034.

“Who owns the [cables]of NGCP/TransCo? [Once these are] turned over to TransCo, whatever agreement [made]with NGCP may be modified, changed or reviewed by TransCo,” Rio said.