Ayaw matulad sa NBN-ZTE deal! Palace weighs in on funding telco infrastructure

By Prince Golez

Malacañang is not keen on financing telco infrastructure to improve internet services in the country.

In a virtual presser Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said private telecommunications companies should take the lead in improving the country’s communication infrastructure, citing the scandal-ridden National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE Corp.

“Alam ko po na nagkaroon na rin tayo ng budget para sa national broadband, pero meron po tayong polisiya na pinasa ng Kongreso na nagsasabi na ang pag-unlad ng telecoms industry ay nilalagay natin sa kamay ng mga pribadong kumpanya,” according to Roque.

“Nasa pipeline na po yang NBN na bubuhayin muli. Naging kontrobersyal po yan dahil dun sa tinatawag na tongpats nung nakalipas (na administrasyon). Pero ngayon sisiguraduhin ni Presidente walang tongpats yan,” he said.

In April 2007, the government signed a US$329 million construction contract with Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE for the proposed government-managed NBN under then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Macapagal-Arroyo, however, cancelled the NBN project in October 2007 after allegations of irregularities surfaced.

“Makakatulang po yan bagamat I personally have serious questions kung yan ang solusyon dahil nung panahon ng NBN-ZTE, isa sa mga sinasabi natin, dahil sa bilis ng pagbago ng teknolohiya, mas mabuti nga sa kamay ng pribadong sektor itong broadband network dahil sila’y makaka-adjust, samantala kapag gobyerno ang naglagay niyan eh static,” the spokesperson added.

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