PLDT’s Innolab seen as big help in linking all barangays by 2015

The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.’s newest project Innolab could help the country achieve its goal to link all barangays through the use of broadband technology by 2015, according to Commission on Information and Communications Technology chief Virgilio Pena

"This task will not be possible if not for the cooperation of the private sector. And being the leader in the telecommunications industry in the country, PLDT, I think, will take the leadership role in terms of achieving this objective. The launching of InnoLab is a manifestation, of that leadership that PLDT will continue to play as far as achieving the goals and objectives that we have set for ourselves," Pena said.

"He added that this is one way that the country can enhance the acceptability and the capability of its human resources to be able to cope with new technologies.

Meanwhile, the Cebu business community is encouraging telecommunications service providers to help build its information and communications infrastructure and develop innovations that will turn the province into a hotbed of business opportunities.

Joel Mari Yu, managing director of Cebu Investment Promotion Center, said during the recent launching of PLDT’s InnoLab, that attracting investments in Cebu entails demonstrating the capability of the province to provide for the communications needs of big and small companies.

He explained that 20 years of experience working with the Department of Trade and Industry, where he eventually became assistant secretary in charge of regional operations, taught him the importance of demonstrating capability in attracting investments.

"When I quit DTI, I was asked, what was the greatest lesson I learned in my 20 years at DTI. After thinking about it for a while, I figured out the biggest lesson I learned is that capability always comes before opportunity," Yu said.

He added that through PLDT’s InnoLab, or Innovation Laboratory and Telecommunications Education Center, Cebu now has a better chance of attracting investments.

InnoLab is a place where ideas and solutions are conceived through research and experimentation on various telecommunications technologies in order to come up with innovations that the business community can benefit from.

It will also be a place where PLDT can simulate customer set-up during problem analysis, test special technical requirements of customers, hold technical training classes, showcase products and solutions to customers, support research and development programs, and exchange knowledge and ideas with members of the community.

"I rejoice every time I witness occasions like this, when I see companies like PLDT establish capability even before asking the question of what kind of opportunity is possible. You do not say, bring me the ICT investor and I will put in the infrastructure. You do not say, bring me the passenger and I will put in the transport facilities. You do not say bring me the tourists and I will build the hotel. You do not say, bring me the patient and I will build the hospital. It is always the other way around: capability before opportunity," explained Yu.

CIPC is an organization that helps create the best possible environment for investments in Cebu by assisting possible investors in looking for investment or business opportunities.

Consul Sabino Dapat, president of Cebu Educational Foundation for IT (CEDF-IT), said in his speech during the launch, that the academe is also one of the important beneficiaries of InnoLab.

"It is a welcome addition to the ICT infrastructure of Cebu, which is pushing towards becoming an ICT hub in the country. It benefits the academe, government and business as well," he said.

CEDF-IT, a group composed of representatives from business, academe and government, aims to increase the quality and quantity of IT resources of Cebu and its neighboring provinces.

For his part, PLDT senior vice president Eric R. Alberto said the InnoLab would indeed benefit many sectors in society.

"Our InnoLab will demonstrate to companies and investors the capabilities of our network and the comprehensiveness of our communications solutions, but at the same time, help academe and government in conducting research about many communications technologies out there," Alberto, head of PLDT’s corporate business group, said.

"We see that Cebu is on the right track toward becoming another ICT hub," said Nerissa S. Ramos, vice president and head of corporate business solutions. "PLDT, through its InnoLab, is just complementing CIPC’s and CEDF-IT’s efforts toward that goal."