President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the establishment of a plan that aims to improve internet and communications services in the country.

 

Aside from giving his nod on the National Government Portal and a National Broadband Plan during the 13th Cabinet meeting in Malacanang on Monday, Duterte stressed the need to amend government procurement rules.

 

After a presentation by Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Rodolfo Salalima, Duterte emphasized the need for faster communications in the country, said Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol in his Facebook post.

 

He said Duterte would like DICT "to develop a national broadband plan to accelerate the deployment of fiber optics cables and wireless technologies to improve internet speed."

 

While millions of Filipinos have been using the internet, the Philippines is considered as among the slowest in the world in terms of average internet speed, according to Akamai, a US-based content delivery network service provider.

 

A plan to put up a national broadband program during the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was scuttled after allegations of bribery surfaced.

 

In the same Cabinet meeting, Pinol said Duterte will ask the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to review and work for amending the government procurement law, especially the provision which stipulates the lowest bidder wins government supply contracts.

 

He said the president cited that the lowest bid does not guarantee quality products being procured by government.

 

"Lowest bid, lowest bid then after one year it's destroyed," he said quoting Duterte.

 

Duterte said quality should be given premium over lowest bid.

 

"We need to amend the procurement law to correct this," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS