Another telco would be good for Oro economy: George

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent .

THE chairman of the city council’s committee on trade, commerce and industry yesterday hailed the Duterte administration’s move to allow another player in the country’s telecommunications industry, saying it would dramatically give the economy, including the city’s, a boost.

Goking said this after President Duterte gave the Villar family’s Streamtech Systems Technologies Inc. a 25-year franchise to compete with other telecommunications companies. But Streamtech subsequently announced that it has decided to back out from the bidding.

There is another group, a consortium led by ex-governor Luis Singson of Ilocos Sur, interested in the bidding.

Councilor George Goking said the move would improve telecommunications. This, he said, would have domino effects on the economy.

Goking said he has been going consulting people in the barangays and realized that most people were very concerned about the state of telecommunication.

He said farmers, students and officials in the city’s outlying barangays want the telecommunications signals to improve.

“Dili na nila concern karon ang kadalanan apan ang means of communication like cellphone signals,” Goking said.

He expressed disappointment over the signals of Globe Telecom and Smart Communications, saying the city council has approved the setting up of more telecommunication towers in the city but the signals remained wanting in many areas especially in the hinternald villages of the city.

Goking said the signals in barangays San Simon, Baikingon, Lumbia, Pagalungan, Pagatpat, Taglimao, Tuburan, Pigsag-an, Tumpagon and Dansolihon were poor.

“Ang farmers karon nag-kinahanglan na og good communication signals kay naa na silay contact, possible buyers, and so they would know the prices,” he said.

Goking said improving the signals in the outlying barangays of the city would be a come-on to investors.

“Unsaon pag-invest nila nga kadyot lang nga tawag mawala man dayun. Kung gusto ka pangitaon pa gyud nimo. Dili man pud pwede ang mga investors mikatkat sa bukid para lang maka-tawag. Communication is a multibillion-peso business and so, they (telecommunications firms) must serve the public well,” he said.