Subic Freeport eyed as top ICT center in RP

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Seeing the potential of this premier Freeport becoming the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) flagship of the Philippines, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) is teaming up to make this vision into a reality.

PLDT Subictel President Dennis Magbatoc said the two corporations have agreed in principle in promoting Subic Bay’s ICT capabilities that would directly compete with the country's ICT leaders like Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Laguna.

The two companies, including the PLDT’s subsidiary Subic Telecom (Subictel) will be signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) next month to seal the deal.

Magbatoc said the agreement would pave the way for tripartite collaborative projects that would benefit the Subic Bay Freeport’s ICT industry.

PLDT’s most recent P40-million ICT investments here would be the prime projects that the group would develop. Among these projects are the fiber optics cable that connects Subic Bay to Manila and the rest of the Luzon grid, along with the P20-million Innovation Laboratory (InnoLab) that was unveiled last year by Subictel.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said the P20-million Innolab will be included in the itinerary for potential investors visiting Subic Bay.

He said that Subic Bay’s IT and telecommunications infrastructure, available and soon-to-be-offered telecoms solutions that cater to business process outsourcing (BPO) operations, retail and manufacturing businesses, and even the hotel industry, will be staged at the Subic Innolab, the fifth such PLDT facility in the country.

“With this one-stop IT center, the SBMA will get to showcase the IT aspect of doing business in Subic, on top of its other strengths like strategic location, tax and duty-free perks, highly-skilled manpower, superb support industries and infrastructure, and a highly secured and tourist-friendly environment,” said Arreza.

“When it comes to IT support, we now have everything and anything you need,” Arreza added, referring to the “fully loaded” theme of Subictel’s Innolab. By JONAS REYES - Manila Bulletin

Prof Danny Piano, Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce President, Councilor Ed Piano, Chairman of Olongapo City Telecom and IT Board, and Hon. Armand Arreza talked about the latest in telecommunications in Olongapo City Subic Bay Freeport.

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