Eastern Communications allots P2.8 billion for expansion

MANILA, Philippines — Telecommunications company Eastern Communications is poised to spend P2.8 billion this year to further upgrade and expand its connectivity and ICT services nationwide.

In a statement, Eastern Communications said it started laying fiber optic cables to address requirements of companies in central business districts and placed strategic hubs in various regional locations to better serve the local enterprises.

Expansion plans are lined up in Davao City, Cagayan De Oro, Dumaguete, Tagbilaran, Bacolod, Roxas, Kalibo, Caticlan, Boracay, Naga, Legazpi, Iriga, and Sorsogon.

The company has already concluded its network expansion in Iloilo and Tuguegarao.

“Eastern will continue this trend and we plan to be available nationwide in the next few years,” Eastern Communications co-coordinator Aileen Regio said.

“This is an exciting time of growth for all of us and we, as a telecommunications company, look forward to being a big part of the Philippines’ stronger tomorrow,” she said.

While many of its ICT solutions are already available across the country, the company will expand more services to empower various locations in line with the government’s “Digital Cities” program.

The initiative is geared towards sustaining the rapid growth of the IT-BPM sector and promote countryside development.

“We commend the efforts of Eastern Communications to broaden and strengthen their network within and beyond Metro Manila as it is supportive of our goal to drive inclusive growth in the countryside through the Digital Cities 2025 program,” IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines president and CEO Rey Untal said.

“These expansion plans will provide Philippine-based businesses much-needed access to innovative services and faster, more reliable internet connection–critical tools to forge ahead in this new normal,” he said.

Eastern Communications posted growth in 2020 largely due to the increased number of subscribers acquiring single to multiple services such as work from home productivity tools, residential internet and enterprise connectivity.

It has launched a variety of connectivity products and ICT solutions to businesses, which included upgraded and most advanced cloud service and cyber defense.