DAVAO CITY — While expressing support for the national government’s move to allow the entry of a third telecommunications company in the country, Mayor Sara Duterte underscored the role of Internet providers in the city’s progress.
Mayor Sara said the entry of a new telco company player would heighten competition in the industry that would in turn result in improved Internet connectivity.
“We are now heavily relying on internet connectivity and poor connection slows down businesses and processes,” the mayor said in her State of the City Address (SOCA) on Wednesday.
She said Internet providers should remain relevant and truly responsive to the development needs of the city, even as she noted the instances where disruptions are met by public anger and frustration.
The mayor cited the intermittent internet services in the city early this week due to breaks in Internet lines caused by massive road construction projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). She urged the concerned parties to closely coordinate to avoid similar instances.
This city, she said, has already six key areas with wifi hotspot – the City Hall, Davao City National High School, People’s Park, Magsaysay Park, the DICT Office, and the University of Southeastern Philippines-main campus.
The wifi hotspots were made possible by the Department of Information and Communication (DICT) through its JUANKONEK program.
Two months ago, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) earned the ire of internet users in Davao because of slow internet connection.
PLDT had claimed it suffered cuts in its fiber transmission caused by ongoing road construction work.
Councilor Conrado Baluran, chairman of the City Council Committee on Communications and Transportation, said he was swamped with complaints from residents following the Internet disruptions.
Baluran said PLDT has sought the help of the government on the rampant theft of cable line facilities in the city.
“The incident is the primary reason why there is a service interruption in the internet connection and telephone lines,” Baluran said.
Meanwhile, a third telco player is expected to be identified by December by the DICT, which has scheduled a bidding early next month.
DICT has announced an invitation to bid will be held on October 7 while prospective bidders can buy bidding documents costing up to PHP1 million on October 8.
A pre-bid conference will be done on October 15 and bidders have until October 22 to submit questions while the government has until November 2 to respond to the DICT queries. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
