EASE OF DOING BUSINESS. Anti-Red Tape Authority Secretary Ernesto Perez (middle) leads the press conference on the sidelines of the Ease of Doing Business summit in Baguio City on Tuesday (Sept. 3, 2024). Perez said local government units are continuously being assisted and encouraged to pursue the implementation of digital systems. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)
BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Tuesday said 80 percent of local governments in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) will have broadband connection after the five-year plan that will commence 2025.
In a briefing on the sidelines of the Ease of Doing Business Summit of the Anti-Red Tap Authority (ARTA) here on Tuesday, DICT-CAR Director Reynaldo Sy said the Cordillera Wireless Network Project is expected to ensure internet connection of at least 62 of the 77 municipalities of the region’s six provinces.
“The region is assured of PHP150 million fund for five years until 2030 where the national fiber backbone is ensured to be in place, which will also allow 80 percent of the municipalities to be in the loop by then,” he said.
He said the 10-gigabyte fiber optic internet cable from the United States that passed through La Union has reached Baguio City.
“Using this line, we will install an IP Radius at Mt. Santo Tomas, which will give internet signal to areas it has direct line of sight with. This will also be used to connect all the 13 municipalities of Benguet and is expected to be completed in 2026 using another IP Radius in Mt. Pulag,” he explained.
Currently, there are 23 municipalities in the Cordillera that have electronic systems, which also make them capable of pursuing an electronic-business one stop shop (e-BOSS).
“The system is on cloud that is why even if the bandwidth is low, they can still pursue,” Sy said in Filipino.
Sy said DICT received PHP4 billion from the Department of Budget and Management to expand free WiFi areas, prioritizing Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas.
ARTA Secretary Ernesto Perez, in the same press briefing, said internet connection is among the challenges faced by local government units (LGUs) in the region in complying with e-BOSS.
He said they continue to encourage local officials to comply for the benefit of clients, especially taxpayers, business enterprises and those who utilize other transactions.
He said the Philippines is among the 50 countries worldwide that is being monitored for a competitiveness dashboard.
“We hope to receive the report by first week of October and we will see how we fared because this means possible investments coming into the country,” he added.
Lea Grace Salcedo, ARTA Director for Finance and Administration, said “as of now, Baguio is the only compliant LGU but there are 14 upcoming which we hope to recognize before the end of the year.” (PNA)
