by admin | Dec 19, 2017 | Headlines, Tech Talk
Globe Telecom’s international connectivity capacity provides the leading telecommunications provider with the ability to activate more than 16 Terabits per second (Tbps), sufficient to service the bandwidth demand in the country and satisfy the market’s hunger for faster internet services. Globe seeks to correct the separate public pronouncements made by the DICT Undersecretary Eliseo Rio and BCDA President Vince Dizon who placed the industry’s combined capacity at 2 Tbps.
While Globe has enough capacity to provide world class internet service, right-of-way access and unreasonable permit issues hamper the connectivity of many Filipinos.
“Our biggest hurdle in delivering consistently good internet (service) is the cumbersome number of permits and right of way issues that prevent us from building the last mile connectivity that would allow world class internet services to be enjoyed by the ordinary household or any person using a mobile phone. We have repeatedly called on the government to help address these issues that are prevalent at the local government level. Now with more people adopting to internet use much faster than the infrastructure can be built, then the problem gets exacerbated,” said Globe President & CEO Ernest Cu.
Out of the Globe Telecom’s current bandwidth capacity of more than 16 Tbps, the company’s “lit-up” capacity is less than 3 Tbps as the rest of the bandwidth remain unused owing to insufficient last mile infrastructure. Aside from permitting and right of way issues, other last mile concerns are the non-standardized tower fees across LGUs and real property tax challenges, explained Cu.
For years now, Globe has been struggling with permitting challenges at the local government levels. To build one cell site alone, the telco has to secure 25 permits from local government units. Processing the permits, meanwhile, takes at least eight months to complete. Laying down the fiber optic cable to reach homes is another tedious process altogether.
Constructing more cell sites is necessary for the Philippines to match and even surpass its Asian neighbors in cell site density, emphasized Cu. “We keep comparing ourselves with developed countries and our highly developed Asian neighbors on internet speed. What we don’t realize is that we are facing problems unique to the Philippines,” added Cu.
User-per-cell site density in the Philippines is 2,244, based on estimates of 21,000 total cell sites in the country against internet users of around 47.1 million. This statistic only underscores the urgency to build the necessary infrastructure that the country needs.
With the country growing in step with the rest of Asia, a digital economy will require more bandwidth and better internet services. It is imperative to look at the issues squarely with both government and industry working together to deliver a better internet experience.
Globe in recent years invested heavily in expanding its international cable connectivity, to stay ahead of the demand curve in terms of bandwidth capacity. This is in recognition of the growing demand for much-improved internet services in the country to fuel the engines of the booming economy.
Just last August, Globe launched the Southeast Asia-United States (SEA-US) cable system that has a design capacity of 20 Tbps capacity and directly links Asia to the US. The system boosts the speed of data transmission and improves the efficiency of connectivity, among other benefits to the public.
by admin | Dec 16, 2017 | EDCOM News, Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
Bohol’s Open Governance model took center stage in this year’s ASIA PACIFIC LEADERS FORUM ON OPEN GOVERNMENT in Jakarta, Indonesia last December 14.
The host country thru Indonesia’s Ministry of Planning invited Bohol Governor Edgar M. Chatto to speak on Sub National Open Governance and its impact to development taking the experience of Bohol province.
Gov. Chatto’s name was among the list of nominated speakers evaluated by the organizing committee in Jakarta.
His innovations in Open Government both in executive and legislative branches and the strong indorsement of the Philippine Government earned for him the slot to speak in the Forum attended by over 500 delegates from Asia Pacific countries.
Also invited to speak in the Forum were DBM Secretary Ben Diokno, who spoke on Participatory Budgeting and COA Chairman Michael Aguinaldo who shared the Philippine experience in Transparency policies.
The Philippine delegation was received warmly in Indonesia by Philippine Ambassador Maria Lumen B. Isleta and top officials of Liwayway Group of Companies owned by Amb. Carlos Chan, Richard Yu and Kyle Sy.
The one day trip of Gov. Chatto to Indonesia was his shortest foreign travel so far fully sponsored by the Indonesian government at no expense to the province of Bohol including that of his wife Balilihan Mayor Pureza Veloso Chatto who accompanied him.
Gov Edgar Chatto – one of the Resource Speakers at the Asia Pacific Leaders Forum on Open Government at Hotel Borobudur, Jakarta, Indonesia
by admin | Dec 15, 2017 | Business, Headlines
On the sidelines of the meeting of the 11th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez discussed with an Argentinian investor how to expand sourcing of local seaweeds. Sec Lopez met with one of the owners of food ingredient-producer Farmesa, which has a plan to set-up a seaweeds processing plant in the Philippines.
The Philippines will be their first manufacturing operations outside Argentina, according to Mr. Agustin Perez, Head of Farmesa’s International group. Mr. Perez confided that aside from the big potential of locally sourcing seaweeds, he finds the Philippines business environment stable and the economy very dynamic, which add on to his confidence in pursuing their growth story in the Philippines. He cited the country as one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
FARMESA, is an Argentinian family enterprise that specializes in the R&D, production, and exportation of food additives and ingredients to several food companies worldwide. Sec. Lopez reaffirmed that their expansion plans can bring them closer to both the source of their main ingredient seaweeds, as well as the market of their products in the Philippines and Asian region.
They recognize as well the potential of harnessing the FTA and GSP trade arrangements that the Philippines have with other countries in the region as well as in US and EU.
Secretary Lopez lauded Farmesa for their decision to choose the Philippines ahead of other candidate countries for the company´s expansion. The availability of raw materials plus the strategic location of the country factored highly in the country’s evaluation. They currently had to source seaweeds from several Asian countries and bring it to Argentina for processing. Now they can focus their sourcing in the Philippines and do the processing right in the country. While they have existing client companies, they plan to export bulk of their production.
Secretary Lopez reassured the investor of President Duterte’s commitment that there will be no corruption in their dealings with government and to ensure their ease of doing business, the full assistance of the Board of Investments and PEZA will be extended when they start to implement their plans to produce and export.
Also in the meeting were the Board of Investments Managing Head, Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo, and DTI’s Mexico-based Commercial Counselor for Latin America Vichael Angelo Roaring.
by admin | Dec 13, 2017 | Business, Headlines
The Department of Trade and Industry through its Export Marketing Bureau sees solid growth for Philippine merchandise exports this year as it continues to expand by 11.68% with total sales of $53.11 billion for the period January-October 2017 compared to the same period last year with total $47.55 billion of export sales.
For ten straight months, the value of merchandise exports in the review period was shared almost evenly by electronics and non-electronics at 50.78% and 49.22%, respectively.
In a preliminary report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Year-On-Year (YOY) growth for October 2017 showed the country’s total export sales increased by 6.6% from $5.04 billion last year to $5.37 billion this year supported by the double-digit growths of six out of top ten major Philippine exports including fresh bananas.
Six gainers for October 2017 exports sales include gold (297%), electronic equipment and parts (43.3%), metal components (21.9%), fresh bananas (20.8%), other mineral products (19.6%), and electronic products (13.8%).
Receipts for top ten major exports for October 2017 reached $4.25 billion with a total share of 79.2% of the total export receipts. Electronic products led the top ten commodities with total export sales of $2.86 billion, accounting for 53.2% of the total exports revenue for the month of October 2017.
“Export sector is a big employment generator and we welcome these positive developments as this will translate to more job opportunities,” said DTI Undersecretary for Trade and Investments Promotion Group Nora K. Terrado.
Japan remains as the top export destination for October 2017 with total exports receipt of $871.36 million and a share of 16.2% in total exports.
“Japan is a significant trading partner for the Philippines. We are maximizing good relations that we have with them by introducing and increasing awareness of various design-driven products and services that we can export. We are also seeking new markets while we continue to expand our exports to existing trading partners. DTI continues to apply new approaches and strategies based on trends and changing consumer landscape,” explained Terrado.
Meanwhile, the leading destination of PH merchandise exports for the first ten months of the year was still the combined markets of PROC (China) and HK SAR (Hong Kong). Shipments to this combined markets, with a share of 24.31%, increased by 22.10% in value.
By regional bloc, East Asia remains the top regional export destination for Philippine merchandise exports comprising for 51% share in total exports sales while ASEAN ranked second with 16% share for the month of October 2017. Exports to European Union remain rosy with total sales of $677.94, an increase from $549.20 million in October 2016.
Recently, DTI unveiled the Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy or i3s that aims to grow and develop globally competitive and innovative industries. With this, DTI aims to increase production capacity of the country’s industries as well as introduce and develop innovative and creative products and services viable for exports.
by admin | Dec 11, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines
Makati – The government of New South Wales (NSW) expressed its confidence in the Philippine (PH) economy and wants to explore strengthened trade and investment cooperation ties between PH and NSW.
In a meeting with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez on 7 December 2017, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian conveyed their government’s intention to enhance their relationship with PH.
A state located on the east coast of Australia, NSW imports telecommunication equipment and parts, passenger motor vehicles, medicaments, refined petroleum, and computers.
“We welcome Australian investors and businesses that will help us uplift the lives of those at bottom of the pyramid and enable the Philippines to contribute in the global value chain. New South Wales has expressed strong confidence in our economy and the business environment stability under the Duterte Administration and wish to partner with us,” said Sec. Lopez.
The trade chief highlighted the growing manufacturing sector and encouraged NSW to partner with PH in research and development. The trade chief also shared the PH government’s initiatives in streamlining and automating services to improve doing business in the country.
“We will continue to work on opening areas of investment and increase employment and business opportunities for all Filipinos,” Sec. Lopez added.
Meanwhile, Premier Berejiklian shared that many Australian businesses, especially in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, are attracted to PH’s encouraging economic state and enormous potential. Apart from the impressive 6.9% GDP growth, the NSW premier highlighted the good traits of Filipino workforce and the work culture they have.
With infrastructure-related construction as one of the priority areas for expansion of NSW, Premier Berejiklian also opened the discussion on a possible partnership through the sharing of expertise and technological know-how in the industry
by admin | Dec 9, 2017 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita, Police Reports
TAGBILARAN CITY, December 8 (PIA)–Bohol Police Provincial Office reports a 52% dip in violence against women and children (VAWC) from January to November in 2017.
The downtrend is already considered huge accomplishment and records would also show that in 2016, VAWC cases reached 165 cases, according to a report read by Police Senior Inspector Nida Perocho.
Perocho, who came to the Kapihan sa PIA bringing a summative report on the vawc cases in Bohol also clarified that the cases in their records at Camp Dagohoy reflect only those getting into town blotters that prospered into legal suits.
As to the development, authorities continue to urge women and girls who might be victims of physical, sexual, emotional and psychological or economic abuse to come out where help is available.
It would only be when they come out from hiding that they can be helped, emphasizes Inspector Perocho.
And coming out may mean getting these cases known by legal suits.
One thing good about reporting these cases of abuse is that the perpetrators would have something to think about before committing another atrocity as he can really get to jail, added social worker Desiree Faith Lingo, at the radio forum.
By reporting and filing suits however, many women and girls fear they have nowhere to go.
A facility called Bohol Crisis Intervention Center here responds exactly to cases like that, volunteers BCIC’s Donna Belle Mante.
BCIC is designed as a temporary shelter and safe house for women and children who are victims of violence, where victims get to a support group, avail of stress debriefing, medical, legal and other services from the government while their cases are considered inc ourts.
Among the advocacies adopted for the national observance of the 18 day campaign to end violence against women set November 28-December 12 is the Kapihan sa PIA in Bohol.
Topping crimes which were elevated to the courts were physical abuse which reached 20 cases, psychological abuse at 14, economic abuse at 14 and rape at 5.
Acts of lasciviousness cases reached 4, sexual harassment and incestuous rape each had 2 cases while a single case of bigamy and violation of personal protection order reached Camp Dagohoy.
A high case count of rape in the cases filed was affected by a case where there were 19 counts of rape filed to a perpetrator of a single victim, Inspector Perocho detailed.
As to the decrease, BCIC, a temporary shelter for women and children operated by the Provincial Government said that it entails two considerations.
An increase in cases may mean more and more people know that they can report these to authorities, while a decrease can really mean such, social worker Donna Belle Mante said.
Mante, who sits among the key authorities at the BCIC said since their establishment in 2002, their occupancy rate has always been averaging 30 sheltered victims.
BCIC has now been tagged as a safe house for women and girl victims of gender based abuses, Mante said. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
