Matibag: Transco can compete against telcos

STATE-OWNED National Transmission Corp. (Transco) wants to enter the telecommunications arena, leveraging its existing facilities and reach to compete with the country’s major players.

Transco President Melvin Matelecommunications company.” - was planned to ask Congress to aplic who have long complained of prove a change in purpose to both poor telco services, he said, claim“a transmission company and a ing that a lot of congressmen and senators approached were “very, very, very interested.”

Matibag noted that Transco already owns the largest transmission network in the country, with its towers already being used by telcos such as Globe Telecom and Smart Communications under colocation agreements.

Right of way also won’t be an issue, he added.

Transco is already preparing a draft of its proposals, which Matibag said could be approved before the end of the year.

“I will even ask [ the] PLLO (Presidential Legislative Liaison -

Transco also wants to get into the power generation business, not to compete with other gencos but to address the problem of ancillary services.

Matibag said they were looking at a joint venture, tap the Malampaya fund or secure an allocation under the General Appropriations Act.