Palace: DICT ‘on track’ for 3rd telco entry; hopeful on beating Nov deadline
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is on course in choosing the third telecommunications player in the country to break the duopoly of the telco giants PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc., Malacañg said Monday.
“As far as I know, the DICT is on track,” Panelo told INQUIRER.net
President Rodrigo Duterte in December 2017 said he wanted the third telco player to be up by first quarter of 2018.
READ: Duterte wants 3rd telco player in PH ‘up and about’ by Q1 2018
The entry of the third player, however, has been delayed over issues on the selection process.
Duterte has said the Office of the President would take charge of the selection process if the DICT fails to select a third telco player by November this year.
Panelo, however, said Malacañang remains optimistic DICT would beat the deadline.
“Kasalukuyan pa ring pino-process iyan, pero ang sabi ni Presidente noon – if you remember, sabi niya during my tête-à-tête conversation with him ‘di ba sabi niya – ‘pag by November wala pang nangyayari diyan, I’ll take over,” he said.
Asked if the government could meet its November deadline, he said: “Hopefully, hopefully.” /kga
