Philippines-wide broadband project to pilot in 33 areas

A total of 33 areas in the Philippines have been chosen to pilot a national broadband project for the country. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), along with the National Transmission Corp and Benguet Electric Cooperative will implement the National Broadband Plan pilot project in Baguio City and in La Trinidad, Benguet. The three parties have already signed a memorandum of agreement for the purpose. The two places are part of the 33 priority growth areas identified to become pilot sites for the project, according to DICT assistant secretary Alan Silor. Under the scheme, selected government agencies, local government unit hospitals, state universities and colleges, and public schools in the pilot zones will be given high-speed access to the internet. Fiber-optic cables and wireless technologies will be used to implement the initiative.