Cabaero: Online legacy

Cabaero: Online legacy

One memorable point in President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) last year was his ultimatum to telecommunications companies to improve services or he will do it “without you.”

His call was timely, as it still is, as most Filipinos have shifted to online in many of their daily activities. From taking classes to buying groceries, activities moved to online as lockdowns and quarantine impositions continue during the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

If Duterte succeeded in getting what he wanted, that would have been a notable part of his legacy as a leader. But his Sona Monday, July 26, 2021, made no mention of a legacy in connectivity and digital communications.

A few days before Duterte’s 2021 Sona, telecommunications companies announced an innovation to benefit millions of subscribers. The Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. (TCI), the company formed by Globe Telecom, Smart Communications, and Dito Telecommunity, will launch the Mobile Number Portability Act on September 30, 2021. Through portability, mobile phone users would be able to switch networks and keep their numbers or change their subscription from postpaid to prepaid and vice versa.

It was strategic on their part to announce the “good news” last Thursday or four days before Duterte’s Sona but the matter of portability did not address directly the call he made a year ago.

Duterte said last year: “I call on our (telecommunications) companies to improve their services lest we be forced to take drastic steps to address the less-than-ideal service that the public is getting from you... Huwag naman ninyo kaming pahintayin sampung taon bago kami makakamit ng mga services that the other countries are enjoying. If it’s just a question of added capitalization or the infusion of money, go and look for it. Maghanap kayo because if you are not ready to improve --- anak --- I might just as well close all of you and we revert back to the line telephone at kukunin ko ‘yan, i-expropriate ko sa gobyerno.”

After that, the telecommunications companies issued statements to outline what they have done and what else they would do to improve connectivity and network stability. Despite these, complaints from consumers about downtime and weak signal continue to be raised. Has your internet connection improved from last year? Do you have stable signal in your house?

Duterte’s 2021 Sona sounded like a goodbye address as it was his last before he steps down on June 30, 2022. He spoke of the drug problem, insurgency, politics and the economy, but he did not touch on the performance of telecommunications as he did last year or even on what would he consider as his legacy in the field of online services and digital transactions.

He will have a lot on his agenda for the remaining 11 months of his presidential term. The state of internet and mobile phone services in the country deserves a last look before he goes, to see if what he would like to leave to Filipinos will be fulfilled.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph