CEBU CITY, Philippines – Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said on Thursday that DITO Telecommunity Corp., the country’s third telco, has expressed interest in providing its services to the Camotes Islands in Cebu province.
On Wednesday afternoon, telco authorities led by lawyer Adel Tamano met with Garcia to examine the prospect of providing internet access to the islanders of Camotes.
According to a 2015 census, Camotes, which includes the municipalities of Poro, Tudela, San Francisco, and Pilar, has a population of over 100,000 people.
It is also one of Cebu’s most popular tourist destinations, including world-class attractions such as white sand beaches, waterfalls, and caves.
However, telco signals have always been unreliable in that area, according to Garcia.
“You know, that’s going to be a statement talaga (really). Because you’re not only talking of the native population there. We’re also talking of the tourists that go there, and that is their primary complaint, walang (there’s no) signal,” she explained.
If DITO’s plan comes to fruition, Garcia believes it will address the area’s interconnection issues.
“If malagyan ninyo yan dyan (if you can set up), ahead of these two telcos… Wow, that’s going to be a major statement of your presence in the market, because it’s the tourists, by word of mouth, that will be promoting you because you’ll finally solve a long, festering problem,” she added.
During the meeting, Tamano expressed gratitude to Garcia for her early support of their efforts to extend their market share, which had previously been dominated by two major companies – Globe and Smart.
He vowed to speed up their feasibility assessment so that Camotes residents had more options for their telecommunications demands.
He also informed the governor of their service promotions and pricing, which are far lower than the competition. (PNA)