Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said he is confident the entry of Dito Telecommunity would ramp up the country’s Internet services and at the same time increase competition among the telecommunication companies (Telco) in the country.
(OFFICE OF SEN. BONG GO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Go made the pitch for Dito Telecommunity, the third Telco player in the country, ahead of its March 2021 rollout.
With the entry Dito, Go said business competition would further foster improvement of internet services for consumers.
The senator also said there are no more excuses for telco companies not to improve their services since the government has already moved to streamline the business processing in the country.
“The President has already given instruction to expedite it. In two to three weeks, permits should already be done and released,” Go said referring to Republic Act No. 11517 signed by President Duterte in December 2020.
“So now telcos have no reason to lag in giving faster connection services because of the law imposing violations against those who will delay the release of permits. He/she can face charges or be removed from his post,” Go said in Filipino during an interview in Legazpi City, Albay.
“Now, we are going to have a third telco player. So we expect increased competition, and that they will improve their services in return,” Go said.
Go pointed out the new law authorizes the President to expedite the processing and issuance of national and local permits, licenses, and certifications in times of national emergency.
He also said the law intends to make it easier for business owners and ordinary citizens to apply for government documents, such as licenses, permits and certifications during national emergencies, such as the pandemic.
At the same time, Go renewed his push for Congress to start deliberating on the measures that seek to institutionalize the government’s transition to e-governance in the digital age amid the current challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Go, who earlier filed Senate Bill No. 1738, or the proposed E-Governance Act of 2020, seeks to establish an integrated, interconnected, and inter-operable information and resource-sharing and communications network spanning the entirety of the national and local government.
The bill also proposes the creation of an internal records management information system, an information database, and digital portals for the faster delivery of public services.
The senator said it is necessary to prioritize the transition to e-governance platforms to reduce red tape and corruption and at the same time improve efficiency and productivity of government processes, especially at the time of a pandemic.
“Having a transparent, efficient and responsive delivery of government services is key to reducing corruption and empowering the people to exact accountability from public servants,” he said.