NGCP tapped to help fulfil national broadband plan

CEBU, Philippines — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has been tapped by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to help accelerate its National Fiber Backbone (NFB) Project, which the administration of President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos aims to complete in 2026.

The NFB aligns with the objectives of the National Broadband Plan, which is a strategic blueprint DICT devised to accelerate the deployment of fiber optic cable and wireless technology, thus improving internet speeds and accessibility across the country.

The NGCP, represented by president and CEO Anthony L. Almeda, and DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy, recently signed the lease agreement for NGCP’s infrastructure, including its private telecom network infrastructure and substations.

“We are pleased to stand as a key contributor to the National Fiber Backbone Project of DICT, a transformative initiative that aims to yield tangible benefits for the Filipino people,” Almeda said, in a statement.

The agreement will help enable the deployment of a strong national broadband infrastructure, enabling the government to leverage a two-terabyte connection originating from the eastern seaboard.

Almeda said they would “work tirelessly to ensure the successful implementation of the NFB project, bringing them one step closer to realizing our shared vision of a digitally inclusive Philippines.”

He said that Central to NBP is the establishment of a demand-responsive neural fiber backbone, leveraging NGCP's private telecom network infrastructure.

This backbone, he said, will facilitate the laying out of fiber optic cables in 23 strategic sites across Luzon, bolstering ICT infrastructure and fostering improved internet connectivity.

“The signing of the Specific Site Lease Agreement will lead us closer to providing lightning-fast broadband connectivity to Filipinos,” Uy, on the other hand, said.

He thanked NGCP “for their proactive response to the President’s vision of the “Bagong Pilipinas”, where every Filipino has access to boundless opportunities and benefits from robust and inclusive digital infrastructure”.

The project's Phase 1 illuminated 26 nodes spanning from Laoag, Ilocos Norte, to Roces, Quezon City, utilizing NGCP's dark fiber.

“Subsequent phases will extend network reach, connecting regions across the country and providing broadband internet access to government entities and public places,” NGCP said, in its statement.

And in preparation for the operationalization, the DICT has commenced “civil works and installation activities for Telecom Shelters within NGCP substations, ensuring the proper housing for Optical Transport Networking (OTN) equipment essential for the project's success”. — RHM (CEBU NEWS)