The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has signed a deal with Japanese telecom giant IPS, Inc. that brings $150 million (Php8.5 billion) in investment for 2023 to 2024 to improve the country’s internet, DICT Secretary John Ivan Uy reported.
Signing the memorandum of support are Uy and IPS Chief Executive Officer Koji Miyashita during the celebration held in Tokyo on August 25, 2023. The purpose of the agreement is for the expansion of a modern and safe gateway for the country as it links itself to the rest of the world through Japan.
In light of the dispute that arises from the South China Sea, Uy highlights the importance of the deal as a deviation from the contested region in favor of the “unhampered data connectivity via the Eastern Seaboard.”
- Fiber Internet Service Providers in the Philippines
- Converge Fiber Plans: Prices, Internet Speed, Requirements, FAQs
Meanwhile, an IPS affiliate in the Philippines, InfiniVAN, Inc., offered an investment worth P4 billion under the public-private partnership setup. The proposal is aimed at fast-tracking the deployment and link of the National Broadband Plan (NBP), otherwise known as the Broadband ng Masa Program (BBMP).
While there is still no official word about the matter, DICT is reportedly considering the proposition.
Welcoming the partnership with both IPS and InfiniVAN is Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center Executive Director Alexander Ramos who viewed the agreement as symbolic of the country’s increasing importance in the overall global digital scheme.
Also in attendance at the signing of the agreement in Tokyo, Ramos said that the investment coincides flawlessly with the country’s Digital Transformation Strategy, where technology is believed to be pivotal in the Philippines’ inclusive growth and development.