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DICT to launch fiber optic cabling project in Iloilo this April

ILOILO CITY, April 4 (PNA) -- A total of 55 government agencies based in Iloilo City will be the first recipients of the Fiber Optic Cabling (FOC) project of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) that is tentatively set to be launched on April 18, 2017.

The FOC project aims to interconnect government offices. Iloilo City was chosen as pilot area for the Visayas Cluster 1 that covers Western Visayas, Negros Island Region (NIR) and Siquijor.

Engineer Elmer D. Prudente, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Director said the installation of the fiber optic has been completed. They are just waiting for the contractor from Manila to install the switches for the project to operate.

The project covers government agencies from the Parola area going to the University of the Philippines (UP) in Molo district and back to West Visayas State University (WVSU) in Lapaz district, according to Engineer Derrick Rodriguez, focal person for the FOC project.

Rodriguez said the agencies were identified by DICT central office. They are qualified to avail if they own the building or on a long-term lease.

Each agency will have an allocation of one gigabyte. The consumption will be monitored on a monthly basis. If it could not be fully utilized, then the agency will be given allocation depending on their need.

He added that agencies can still use their existing internet connection as back up in case the FOC bogs down.

Prudente, meanwhile, stated that recipient agencies will have to secure the equipment that will be provided to them. “We will also be transferring the accountability to them,” he said.

He added that later on the budget for internet connections of government offices will no longer be provided and they have to use solely the government provided internet, which is also reliable.

The ring of the FOC is installed underground so it will not be affected during typhoons. However, they also have aerial installation, which when damaged needs technical expertise to get repaired.

Rodriguez added that proper coordination with the City Engineers Office (CEO) was done to ensure that it will not be affected by drillings in case there are future projects.

Meantime, they look forward to connect additional 45 government offices in the second phase of the project. If the second phase will not be pursued, then they can wait for the National Broadband Project that aims to provide internet even down to the barangay level.

Last month President Rodrigo Roa Duterte gave his go signal for the project. (PNA)
PERLA G. LENA

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