PLDT Inc. is calling for a streamlined government approval process for emergency submarine cable repairs, citing the permits and clearances required for specialized vessels to enter Philippine waters and restore damaged telecommunications infrastructure.
PLDT First Vice President for Network Design and Engineering Arvin L. Siena said a clear process for emergency repairs was needed to facilitate the restoration of submarine cable systems affected by natural disasters and other maritime incidents.
“Submarine cables remain vulnerable to natural disasters, earthquakes, fishing activities, ship anchors, and other maritime incidents. Repairs require specialized cable vessels, many of which must secure multiple permits and clearances before entering Philippine waters,” PLDT said in a statement on Thursday.
Mr. Siena said the government and telecommunications operators should establish a clearer and more streamlined process for securing approvals during emergency repairs.
The company also called for stronger cooperation between the government and private sector in developing and protecting the country’s submarine cable infrastructure.
PLDT Global Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer Albert V. Villa-Real said submarine cable systems had become critical infrastructure supporting telecommunications, financial transactions, government services, and other digital activities.
“They carry the connections that enable our businesses to operate, our banks to transact, our government to deliver services, and our families to communicate. Increasingly, they also support cloud, data centers, artificial intelligence, and digital services that will shape the next generation of our economy,” Mr. Villa-Real said.
PLDT Global is the international arm of the Pangilinan-led telecommunications company.
Mr. Villa-Real said government and industry cooperation could help the Philippines develop a more resilient submarine cable network and attract investments in digital infrastructure.
“If government and industry can work from that shared perspective, then our ambition can go beyond protecting the cables we already have. We can build a Philippine subsea ecosystem that is diverse by design, resilient by architecture, protected through cooperation, and attractive to the next generation of global digital investment,” he said.
PLDT said telecommunications operators were investing in additional submarine cable systems, alternative network routes, and network redundancy to improve connectivity.
In August, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said PLDT, Globe Telecom, Inc., and Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. had proposed a $500-million, or approximately P30.63-billion, nationwide undersea fiber-optic network to expand connectivity across the country.
The proposal remains subject to government evaluation.
Shares in PLDT rose by P7, or 0.59%, to close at P1,200 apiece on Thursday.
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., holds a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group. — Ashley Erika O. Jose