By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz | Philippine News Agency
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) began the emergency procurement process to repair all relevant infrastructure damaged by Super Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi).
In his sharing of updates on the Department’s activities in the “Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas” program, DICT Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs Renato Paraiso said DICT Secretary Ivan Uy had made the order on Monday evening.
“Makakaasa ho kayo na [ang] serbisyo ng DICT, when it comes to emergency responses, would be there,” Paraiso said during the ‘Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas’ hosted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Quezon City on Tuesday.
To date, the DICT has deployed emergency response vehicles and their recently procured Commsbox in areas affected by the typhoon.
A Commsbox is a portable, all-in-one satellite communications system designed specifically for rapid deployment in disaster zones and made by Stellarsat Solutions Inc. and Kacific Broadband Satellites.
Each unit is pre-configured, solar-powered, requires minimal setup, and is sealed in a fire- and water-resistant container.
Meanwhile, Paraiso said the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is monitoring the services of mobile network operators and tasked them with repairing their affected lines.
“Kung talagang naputulan na services na ’yon, that is when we deploy our emergency Commsbox para naman hindi maputol ‘yong delivery ng basic government services natin,” he said.
Paraiso also shared the DICT’s support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos’ order to government agencies to refrain from lavish Christmas parties in solidarity with those affected by the recent typhoons.
“In fact, DICT is contemplating na imbes na gastusin natin ’yan para sa Christmas party, make it more meaningful, magkaroon ng donation drive for the victims of the typhoon,” he added.
Fiber Backbone
Meanwhile, Paraiso shared updates on the DICT’s National Fiber Backbone Project, with the project’s first phase—a 1,245-kilometer cable network from Laoag, Ilocos Norte to Roces, Quezon City—is completed.
“With Phase[s] two and three, pinagsabay na ho natin, nakapag-procure na ho tayo, and the implementation of which is at the start of 2025,” he said.
Funding for the project’s Phases 4 and 5 has also begun, with a loan from the World Bank already secured.
Phases 2 and 3 of the project will connect Luzon to Visayas while phases four and five will connect most of the Visayas to Mindanao.
“Tapos ’yong Phase 6, do’n na ho natin talagang kukumpletuhin ’yong connectivity throughout the Philippines,” he added.
All six phases are planned to be completed by 2028 by the end of Marcos’ term.
