The vision of Digital Bohol to have internet connectivity across the province is now closer to reality.
This week, Gov. Edgar Chatto received PLDT Visayas Head Rito Ray Salas and PLDT Area Head Isabelo Rosales at the People’s Mansoion. They updated the governor about ongoing PLDT Fiber To The Home, the most optimum connectivity solution.
Rosales said PLDT targets a minimum of 1 kilometer of fiber optic connection completed every day. This will allow fiber connectivity for the towns of Clarin, Tubigon, Calape, Loon, Maribojoc, Antequera, Balilihan, Sikatuna, Cortes, Jagna, Garcia Hernandez, Valencia, Dimiao, Lila, Loboc, Loay, and Albur at the end of this year.
PLDT also targets connectivity for the remaining towns of Bohol by 2019. Fiber To The Home is the optimum connectivity solution, stated Rosales.
Fiber to the home (FTTH), also called “fiber to the premises” (FTTP), is the installation and use of optical fiber from a central point directly to individual buildings such as residences, apartment buildings and businesses to provide unprecedented high-speed Internet access.
The governor welcomed this development as Bohol positions itself in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry.
He recalled launching Digital Bohol when PLDT also launched its submarine and inland fiber optic network spanning 328 kilometers – from Cebu through Bohol to Misamis Oriental with PLDT president and CEO Napoleon Nazareno.
Digital Bohol is aimed at making every Boholano part of digital technology revolution, and to make technology available.
Next to tourism and agriculture, programs have been geared towards creating a niche for the ICT industry.
A private sector-led initiative, Digital Bohol key component is the establishment of Technology for Education and Development (Tech4ED) centers in the province where residents can learn about internet, technology, among others.
Chatto believes if every citizen is educated on technology, even the rural communities can generate jobs, a faster way to inclusive growth. He emphasized the use of technology for marketing products, linking into the job market, among others.
Another initiative to strengthening the third pillar of economic growth is following tracks of tourism and agriculture senior high school specialization with BISU Balilihan as hub. It will take after models of Turo-Turismo of Lourdes National High School in Panglao and Eskwela Agrikultura in San Pascual National Agricultural High School.
shows the PDLT Fiber Optic Launching last July 22, 2014 during the Bohol Day Commemorative Program