President Rodrigo Duterte has underscored the need for the government to have an independent communication system and not to rely heavily on the two major telecommunications companies during disasters.

 

Duterte made the statement during his visit to Basco, Batanes last Sunday following the twin earthquakes that struck Itbayat town, leaving nine people dead and scores wounded.

 

"As I said before, the government must have an independent communication and we are not allowed to depend only to Globe (Telecom), also Smart (Communications) because in a crisis, there would be clogging," he said.

 

He noted there were experiences in the past that during the crisis, calls using either of the two telecom firms could hardly be made.

 

"We go back to simple 'over-over' from here to Jolo. We go back to that kind of - the simple one. And if you want just use a code," Duterte said, apparently referring to handheld two-way radios.

 

Duterte ordered the military and police to come up with such a project where they could have an independent communication system.

 

"Start on that project. Maybe by the end of the year, I'll have the money and we can implement it," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS