By Aldwin Quitasol
BAGUIO CITY ? Residents of Baguio City and Benguet province could soon avail of fast and affordable Internet connection after an electric cooperative in the area inked an agreement with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Delfin Cachin, non-network and services manager of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco), said the accord is in response to an agreement between the DICT and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to tap electric cooperatives in delivering fast and affordable Internet.
He revealed that a memorandum of agreement was signed by the DICT and the NEA on July 31, 2018. DICT acting secretary Elisio Rio is expected to announce the agreement during the opening program for the NEA Week on August 6.
Cachin said the DICT has deemed it wise to tap electric cooperatives because they have the capacity to reach the remote corners of the country. He also said they have the needed infrastructure and technical people to do the job. Beneco, he said, has already installed fiber-optic cables within its area of operation.
According to him, there is an existing 100 kilometers of fiber-optic cables from Baguio City to Mankayan, Benguet. Another 100 kilometers of fiber cable is also available within Baguio City. Cachin said they are planning to add 80 kilometers more of fiber-optic cable line in the area. The cooperative expects to charge its member-consumers fiber service for as low as P300 a month.
