DICT Press Release
The Department of Information and Communications Technology Visayas Cluster 2 (DICT VC2) believes that the presence of DITO Telecommunity, the country’s third major telecommunications player, is expected to boost the information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) services of Cebu.
The commercial launch of DITO is expected to help Cebu turn into a more attractive outsourcing destination for foreign investors. DITO is also expected to provide more options for data and broadband consumers, especially since Filipinos are currently adopting remote learning and telecommuting due to the ongoing pandemic.
DICT Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II stated that recent reports on the Philippines’ mobile and fixed Internet download speeds by the Ookla Speedtest Global Index indicate that our country is steadily moving up the global rankings. As of January 2021, the Philippines moved up to the 86th spot in the global mobile internet speed rankings, a significant improvement from its 111th rank in the same period last 2020.
“While recent data shows the nation’s improved Internet speed, it is only one factor in the national ICT agenda. We want to also pose the challenge of improving coverage, especially in rural and remote areas. We want to make connectivity as inclusive and far-reaching as possible—to ensure that many reap the benefits of the digital economy, and not just the chosen few,” Secretary Honasan said.
DICT VC2 Director Frederick Amores also stated that the entry of DITO “will enhance the available telecommunications infrastructure in Cebu and will give our stakeholders more options in terms of services and strengthen our capacity to provide IT-BPM services.”
DICT continues to urge telecommunications companies (telcos) and internet service providers (ISPs) to boost efforts to improve their Internet service performance this year. This is in support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s directives that challenged telcos to shape up Philippine Internet speed and quality.
“Through our various efforts, we expect connectivity services to improve significantly this year—enough to stand on par or even better than that of our Asian neighbors—so that we can finally meet the President’s challenge,” Honasan said.
