PLDT Enterprise powers connectivity of San Remigio, Antique

Wazzup Pilipinas!?


The Municipality of San Remigio, Antique is now enjoying top of the line high-speed fiber internet connectivity—powered by PLDT Enterprise—which boosts the municipal government’s efforts in improving public service delivery to its more than 38,000 constituents.

The business-to-business arm of the largest fully integrated telecommunications provider in the country PLDT has partnered with San Remigio Mayor Mar Mission Jr. for internet services that will support online education and deliver communications services within the province.

The municipal mayor expressed his gratitude for the telco’s assistance as it soon installs connectivity facilities in the barangays of San Remigio, as his request to PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan.

“As we all know, if the communication in an area is poor, definitely the progress will be slow too. In this modern world with modern technology, if you don’t have the means for efficient communication, definitely you are left behind,” the San Remigio mayor said.

The municipal government availed standard enterprise broadband services which are currently installed at the municipal hall that can be used by its employees and students.

With the connectivity services in place, the San Remigio mayor expressed his aspirations for the town to be paperless wherein government transactions can be done digitally. He noted that this would boost the municipality’s bid to a more sustainable province as the reduction of paper trails would equate to the conservation of more trees, improvement of waste management, and reduction of carbon footprint.

Mission expressed his gratitude to the telco company for its immediate response to his request in line with his commitment to improving the online education capabilities of the town “so that the students and teachers won't be burdened by intermittent Internet connection especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.”

Chito Franco, PLDT Enterprise Vice President for Small and MicroBiz, said that PLDT Enterprise immediately took charge in heeding to the request for connectivity in the said province as this is the foundation of digital transformation.

“It is our privilege to serve our local and municipal governments when it comes to their call for strong broadband connectivity and mobile needs. And we at PLDT Enterprise are committing our best efforts to provide them the relevant technology and enable the LGUs in their digital journey and service delivery,” said Franco.

“As we push and continue the momentum of offering solutions to LGU’s especially to far-flung areas, we would be able to help in closing the gap and promote digital literacy across the country, one LGU at a time" he added.

PLDT Enterprise has been partnering with various local government units across the country for the activation of internet connectivity facilities and services to support the online education and online businesses of their constituents.

PLDT and Smart’s push to provide connectivity for all is aligned with the group’s long-standing commitment to help the Philippines attain the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG #9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure and SDG #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

For more information, visit pldtenterprise.com. 

Catarman Airport inaugurated

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Opportunities for growth are in the province of Northern Samar as the Department of Transportation (DOTr), together with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) formally inaugurates today, 02 September 2021, the upgraded Catarman Airport.

DOTr Secretary Art Tugade led the formal opening of the improved gateway as he stressed the importance of developing and upgrading airports across the country regardless of size or capacity.

"Nakita ko 'yung potential ng tourism na andoon sa Catarman. Baka manatiling potensyal 'yan forever kung hindi aayusin 'yung paliparan. Kaya ito ‘ho ‘yung pangalawang dahilan na nagtulak sa akin na ayusin 'yung paliparan nang sa ganoon ay mabigyang-buhay at patotoo 'yung potensyal ng turismo ng Catarman," Secretary Tugade said.

“Hindi ‘ho ba na dapat lang na ang improvement ay dapat gawin sa maliit na lugar para magkaroon naman sila ng opurtunidad para lumaki at lumago? Ang development projects ‘ho ng Pangulong Duterte do not, and are not, predicated on size, nor it is predicated on [voting] population. It is predicated on the lead for development. Because development and growth apply to all,” the Transportation Chief said.

The CAAP said that prior to its upgrade, the Catarman Airport can only accommodate 50 passengers at any given time.

With the upgraded Passenger Terminal Building (PTB), the capacity of the airport has been tripled and can now accommodate 150 passengers at any given time or around 50,000 passengers annually. This significant capacity increase aims to help the whole projected 250,000 tourists and travelers coming within the region, as well as travelers from outside and nearby regions using different ports of entries once quarantine restrictions are relaxed.

Upgrades in the Catarman Airport include a new perimeter fence, a re-blocked apron pavement, and asphalt overlay and shoulder grade correction at the runway. Added improvements include the construction of a fire station building, a powerhouse, and a flight service station. The added renovation works were completed August of this year, ahead of its target completion date.

For his part, CAAP Director General Capt. Jim Sydiongco underscored the advantage of sound cooperation among government agencies and local government units to realize development projects that will boost enhanced mobility and connectivity in the country.

“Under the staunch guidance of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and with the dedicated leadership of DOTr Secretary Art Tugade, and the continued commitment of the entire DOTr, CAAP, and the LGU to improve the Catarman Airport, progress in the municipality and Northern Samar’s transport sector will continue to take flight,” DG Sydiongco said.

Meanwhile, Northern Samar 1st District Representative Paul Daza expressed his appreciation to the national government for finally upgrading the facilities of their airport.

“If you saw this airport 10 years ago, malaki po ang pinag-iba. Talagang sira-sira at ang liit. And then the big typhoons came, and we were desperate. The DOTr did not just funded the repair. There were many improvements in the airport,” Rep. Daza said.

RISE conference is returning to Hong Kong in March 2022

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Today, the company behind RISE and “the world’s most influential tech event”, Web Summit, announced that RISE will be returning to Hong Kong in March 2022 as an in-person event. 

RISE was launched in Hong Kong in 2015, where it has already been successfully hosted five times and where, according to CNBC, it has become Asia’s largest tech event. 

Over the years, the event has gathered many thousands of global tech founders, startups, investors and members of the media to the city. The event has become an important opportunity for eastern and western companies to make connections in new markets. 

Past speakers have included Alibaba co-founder and executive vice chairman Joseph Tsai, Stripe co-founder and president John Collison, Magic Leap CEO Peggy Johnson, and Sequoia Capital founding managing partner Neil Shen. 

“We are extremely grateful for the support the city of Hong Kong has given RISE over the last five years, and we couldn’t be more excited to return in-person in 2022. We’ve seen the region's tech and startup economy grow from strength to strength since we launched RISE in 2015,” said Paddy Cosgrave, co-founder and CEO of RISE conference and Web Summit. 

“We always intended to come back to Hong Kong at some stage. RISE has grown to what it is today after five successful years in the city. The event has now become an important nexus that connects the east and the rest of the world. CEOs and investors from around the world want a window into the region, and vice versa,”  he continued. 

"I’m very excited to see RISE, a world-renowned tech event, returning to Hong Kong. This is a testimony of Hong Kong’s success to containing the pandemic and keeping infection rate among the lowest in the world, thereby giving international event organisers confidence that they can stage their events here safely. I am sure the staging of RISE will showcase Hong Kong’s capacity to deliver amid the challenges posed by the epidemic, and connect our tech start-up ecosystem with that of the globe. I look forward to welcoming more world class business events to Hong Kong, injecting new vigour into our economy.” said  Hong Kong’s secretary for commerce and economic development, Edward Yau. 

“We welcome the return of RISE to Hong Kong for another five years in 2022–2026. The city’s state-of-the-art infrastructure and venues, complemented with a favourable business environment and unique travel experiences, are all part of the equation reflecting Hong Kong’s appeal for international business events. With Hong Kong’s strategic location in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, event participants can also capitalise on the multitude of opportunities in the region. With the strong commitment to hygiene and safety across all community sectors, the city is gearing up for a new milestone, and the HKTB will continue to make its best efforts to maintain Hong Kong’s status as The World’s Meeting Place.” said HKTB chairman YK Pang.  

“Hosting RISE in the coming 5 years bears an impactful significance to the recovery of Hong Kong’s MICE sector, as it marks the return of top-class international events to Hong Kong. With stringent anti-epidemic measures in place and our quality service, we will continue to work closely with organisers to deliver world-class events to maintain Hong Kong as the Asia’s premier meeting hub and attract more international events to the city” added AsiaWorld-Expo chairman Ng Chi-kee. 

The city boasts a growing and diverse startup economy. Between 2018 and 2020, the number of local startups rose 28 percent to 3,360, with non-locals counting for 26 percent of founders. Additionally, in 2020, foreign direct investment to Hong Kong surged by 62 percent year-on-year, to US$119 billion, making Hong Kong the third largest FDI recipient in the world, behind the United States (US$156.3 billion) and mainland China (US$149.3 billion). According to the World Bank, Hong Kong is number three in the world for doing business. 

RISE will now take place as an in-person conference in AsiaWorld-Expo (the AWE) from March 14–17, 2022.