DICT targets to seal nat’l broadband deal with NGCP

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is targeting to sign an agreement with the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) on using the company's fiber optic network to roll out the National Broadband Plan (NBP).

"When Usec. Dennis Villorente makes a recommendation on the facilities that he want and we immediately agreed on the terms, baka within the year maka-pirma na tayo sa memorandum of understanding with NGCP," Informations and Communications Technology Secretary Rodolfo Salalima told reporters on the sidelines of the formal launching of the NBP in Manila on Friday.

"Everything will depend on the inspections by Usec. Villorente... nasabi nga niya na from Day 1 when we start getting the facilities for the broadband mean na meron na tayong fiber optic na ipo-provide ng NGCP," the Cabinet official said.

Villorente said the department is now looking at the government assets that make up the national electricity transmission currently managed by the NGCP.

Salalima earlier announced that the Cabinet decided to go for a "north-to-south" infrastructure development, which would require using the 5,000 to 10,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables of the NGCP to make it easier for the government to implement the plan.

"We have to make a decision on formalizing an agreement with them," Villorente told reporters at the same event.