PITC to procure defense, Wi-Fi equipment

Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC), the state trading arm under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), signed a deal Thursday night with two other line departments for the procurement of the government’s defense equipment and a P2.39-billion wifi infrastructure system.

In a statement, PITC said it signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

According to PITC, the DICT has outsourced the services of PITC to procure P2.39 billion worth of regional Wi-Fi infrastructure network, which is connected to President Duterte’s directive to provide free internet access in public places nationwide.

“This Wi-Fi project will benefit Filipinos in 81 provinces all over the country as we democratize access to internet and information, which can fuel economic growth especially in small and medium enterprises (SMEs),” PITC president and CEO Dave Almarinez said in a statement.

On the other hand, Almarinez said that the defense equipment procurement would help with the Duterte’s “goal of modernizing the supplies and weapons” of the country’s soldiers. No further detail was given about the procurement. —ROY STEPHEN C. CANIVEL