Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso has vowed to sustain the current administration's gains in improved internet and telecommunications services.

During a recent roundtable discussion with top officials from the business processing outsourcing industry, Domagoso said he would invest in information technology infrastructure by building a national fiber-optic backbone.

Domagoso said he plans to acquire satellite Internet access provided by Elon Musk’s Starlink which provides high-speed broadband internet and is now being availed by 24 countries in the world.

A report by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in June 2021, citing data from global monitoring firm Ookla Speedtest, said the country has climbed the rankings to the 65th spot from 84th in January of the same year, out of 180 countries in fixed broadband, and 77th spot from 80th out of 137 countries in mobile.

The DICT attributes this improvement in President Rodrigo Duterte’s mandate to advance improvements in telco services and ensure that the country’s internet speed and quality keep up with the rest of the Southeast Asian countries.

Domagoso also planned to adopt a system of online transactions in government, similar to what he did in Manila.

“We have adopted online transactions in the city of Manila, and this is scalable. Customs and other income-generating agencies of government, we have to adapt existing technology," he said.

With a reliable information technology infrastructure, Domagoso said this would boost connection in schools, government offices, and industries that rely heavily on internet connectivity.

A reliable and stable interconnectivity is vital in accelerating human and economic growth, he added.

The roundtable discussion, organized by the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines, the umbrella organization of the IT-BPM sector in the country, tackled issues that they want the government to address, including improving the ease of doing business, fostering future-ready digital talent, and a stronger national digital infrastructure.

“As an ally in creating jobs for more Filipinos and in nation-building, I assure you that my administration’s policies will be business-friendly and consistent to induce foreign investors and enable sustained growth for the IT-BPM industry," Domagoso said.

The IT-BPM industry has become one of the biggest economic contributors in the country generating an estimated USD28.8 billion in revenues last year.

It has also become one of the sectors that have employed the biggest number of people with 1.43 million Filipinos directly working in these industries. (PNA)

(Photo credits to: Bloomberg)