Create more jobs, curb brain drain to improve internet connectivity, Poe tells telcos

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe on Sunday urged local telecommunication companies to create more jobs for Filipinos as “brain drain” may be one of the reasons the public is still facing internet connection problems. 

 

“Kulang yata sila sa magagaling na teknikal na tao kasi pabalik-balik din ang problema. ‘Yun din ang problema dito sa ating brain drain na tinatawag,” Poe said in a statement.

 

(Perhaps they lack good technical people, that’s why the problem still persists. That is the problem here called “brain drain.”) 

 

“Masaya tayo na ang ating mga OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) ay kinikilala sa ibang bansa dahil sa kanilang kapabilidad at talento, pero nawawala rin ang magagaling dito sa atin. Nagkukulang din tayo ng tao, kahit na ang magagaling dito na technical persons natin sobra rin silang nahihirapan sa dami ng nangangailangan sa kanila,” Poe, chairwoman of the Senate public services committee, added. 

 

(We are happy that our OFWs are being recognized in other countries because of their capabilities and talent, but we are also losing capable people here. We lack  people here, even the technical people who excel are encountering difficulties because of the greta demand for them.)

 

POE CO-SPONSORS BUDGET BILL: Sen. Grace Poe, vice-chairperson of the Committee on Finance, co-sponsors the committee report on House Bill No. 7727, otherwise known as the proposed General Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2021, during the hybrid plenary session Tuesday, November 10, 2020. “I am proud to be a member of the Senate which did not bend in the unprecedented crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the corresponding fallout of the economy. We immediately passed the landmark Bayanihan I and II laws and the present P4.5 trillion budget for 2021,” Poe said. She highlighted her contributions to the measure such as the P5 billion additional subsidy for displaced public utility vehicle drivers in the form of service contracting, increased budget of the Civil Aviation Board amounting to P60.81 million, and the provision of a subsidy totaling P1.53 billion to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines in support of the aviation industry, which she said, suffered in its own “planedemic” due to drop of tourist arrivals. Poe said P500 million was also provided under the local government support fund for segregated bicycle lanes and footpaths, P70 million under the Public Works and Highways for persons with disabilities and senior citizens’ friendly facilities, among others. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)

Sen. Grace Poe (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)

Hence, Poe urged local telecommunication companies to create more jobs. 

 

“Importante sana na magdagdag ng sapat na trabaho dito sa atin. Magbukas pa sana ng pwesto, kasi kulang sila ng teknikal na tao. Kapag nagkakaroon ng bagyo, kapag nagkakaroon ng kung anumang aberya, hindi rin nila maasikaso agad,” she said. 

 

(It’s important to create more jobs here. I hope they open more opportunities because they lack technical people. If a storm comes, if there is any trouble, they cannot fix it right away.) 

 

The Senate Public Services Committee has a scheduled hearing on the franchise of the country’s third telecommunications service provider, Dito Telecommunity. 

 

That hearing will also give the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) the opportunity to prove its worth as the primary regulator of telecommunications firms.

(From the National Telecommunications Commission website)

Poe said she will ask the telecommunications companies for updates on their initiatives to regarding the government’s directive to expedite the installation of cell sites to improve services. 

 

Under Bayanihan 2 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, several permit requirements for the installation of cell sites have been waived.

 

 gsg
Read more...