The Ilocos Times

I have been managing local area networks (LANs) since my days as a director of Management Information Systems (MIS) at the Dept. of Foreign Affairs (DFA), as part of my duties as a Foreign Service Officer (FSO). Although LANs was just a new and emerging technology at that time, the division that I managed was able to build a LAN that covered the entire building using twisted pair cables, somewhat an amazing feat at that time. Since we had no budget for a true server at that time, we were able to configure a relatively high-powered personal computer (PC) to function as a “server”, at least good enough to function as a file server and an email server. Also, because we did not have a budget for a true server, I was able to get a subscription to ATT Mail, and that is how the DFA was able to send and receive worldwide for the first time at that time. When I became the director-general of the National Computer Center (NCC), true servers were already commonplace, and LANs were already more a...

INTERNET CONNECTIVITY. Personnel of the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the  Ilocos Norte provincial government on Aug, 29, 2024 discuss the implementation of GovNet in the cities of Laoag and Batac. GovNet aims to provide a transparent, efficient, and effective governance through the use of online connectivity among government agencies. (Photo courtesy of Ilocos Norte province) By Leilanie G. Adriano LAOAG CITY—The provincial government of Ilocos Norte is currently upgrading its internet connectivity through the PHP21 million funding from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to implement the Government Network (GovNet) to 85 government agencies here. DICT is implementing GovNet to help address the basic needs of the government for transparency, efficiency, and effective governance through ICT. Under the program, DICT is responsible for providing the actual Fiber Optic Cores and the other peripherals that are necess...

Manila —PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the largest fully integrated telecommunications company in the Philippines, called for innovative solutions that would address the threats to the well-being of students and teachers as they continue eLearning in the next normal. During PLDT Enterprise’s recently held eBossing Online Class—dedicated for the members of the   Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU)   and their 3,000 university and colleges heads, faculty members, and admin officers—Dick Perez, PLDT Enterprise Assistant Vice President and Corporate Relationship Management Head for Academe & FMCG, said that the toll of increased workload on teachers and other associated effects of the pandemic should not be underestimated. A study from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) found that more than 28 million students, educators, and parents are grappling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which also affects t...

Manila —Globe is partnering with Phil-Tower Consortium, Inc (PhilTower) to ramp up its aggressive network rollout in more areas in the National Capital Region and Luzon. Boosted by the Bayanihan 2 law which streamlined the permitting process, the partnership aims to install 500 new cell sites within the year.  Globe believes the partnership with PhilTower will boost the company's response to its customers’ ever-increasing need for better, reliable and accessible connectivity in the new normal. “Our partnership with PhilTower will help us accelerate our cell site expansion. Consequently, this will bring better services to Globe subscribers in more locations in the country,” said Vincent Tempongko, Globe Vice President for Site Acquisition.  PhilTower, on the other hand, emphasizes its role in advancing the telecommunication infrastructure in the country. “As a communication solutions enabler and digital infrastructure provider, we help power critical digital...

PLDT Enterprise , the B2B arm of the   country’s largest fully   integrated telecommunications company   PLDT,   has provided   fiber connectivity and   internet solutions to all 23 barangays of Piddig, Ilocos Norte   to support   online learning   initiatives and   improve   the   governance capabilities of the municipality. The group recently teamed up with the local government and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation of Piddig for connectivity plans that would support the online education and online businesses of its constituents. “Our goal at PLDT Enterprise is to make a positive impact on every single business, which includes our local government units. We have consistently been extending our innovative services to different LGUs and municipalities in the country to support their needs in improving overall public governance, and this latest partnership with Piddig, Ilocos Norte is a testament to that,” said Jovy Hernan...

Piddig Mayor Eddie Guillen (upper right photo) represents the municipality of Piddig together with PLDT Enterprise and Smart executives during the virtual launching of the “Piddig Free Internet Connectivity” for all the 23 barangays here held on June 29, 2021. (LGU Piddig photo) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Piddig , Ilocos Norte—Not to be left behind, the municipal government here in partnership with PLDT Enterprise and Smart Telecommunications launched the free internet connectivity project by providing fiber connectivity and internet solutions to all 23 barangays here. “My dream has now [turned] into a reality,” Piddig Mayor Eduardo “Eddie” G. Guillen said by providing a reliable internet connection to all the barangays here to support online learning, improve governance capabilities and online business with their constituents. “This new project of Piddig would be of great help in the advancement of Piddig and our schools for learning, especially [in] this time of ...

Emerging data center market poses potential to be next big economic driver    Manila — The global pandemic has been a catalyst for digital transformation as there was a steep rise in the usage of consumer applications from social media to video streaming, gaming, e-commerce, online learning,  and  telehealth,  among others . The pandemic has also pushed the enterprise and public sector over the technology tipping point by accelerating their cloud adoption  by increasingly migrating workloads to the cloud and massively using collaboration platforms supporting work from home arrangements.  Speaking earlier this year at Asia Pacific Regional Internet Conference on Operational Technologies (APRICOT) 2021, Jeff Mendoza, Asia Pacific Regional Head of PLDT Enterprise said, “The digital transformation dictated by the pandemic among the enterprise and consumer sectors have pushed the hyperscalers  in the cloud and content provider...

Manila—PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the largest integrated telecommunications company in the Philippines, stressed the need for the adaption of creative education technologies that would better promote student engagement in eLearning. During PLDT Enterprise’s eNDUSTRY Online Forum for eLearning, PLDT Enterprise Assistant Vice President and Corporate Relationship Management Head for Academe & FMCG Dick Perez said that while eLearning has been the top educational trend for the past year, it still requires continuous innovation for a more effective learning experience for the students. “In eLearning, learners are just soaked in knowledge through viewing or reading content. The competition in the education industry now lies on which school have the more interesting and engaging digital platform,” he said. Perez said that gamification, or the application of gaming principles in non-game contexts, could help keep learners engaged in online learning despite numerous distraction...

From the ashes of the old, a new world will rise. Or so they say, the pandemic has hit the world hard and without remorse. Sure, every now and then, you’ll see a person saying “Oh, it’s nothing, the COVID-19 panic is simply the ‘flu’ that you can cure with (insert old and barbaric ways to cure an ailment here)”; or worse, “The covid-19 panic is simply something the government uses to make business out of us”. It’s as if the pandemic hasn’t exposed a sheer magnitude of incompetence by the governments of the world. But we’re not here to talk about the politics of that, or any politics at all. When the pandemic started, everyone was forced to the confines of their homes; of course, we have a few stragglers here and there, walking about as if they are immune to the virus; or the people who have to report to work but most of us are locked in. The dreaded cabin fever sets in as people get at each other’s throats after being stuck with them for so long, everything we used to do, suddenly c...

By Leilanie G. Adriano  (Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—Business owners may soon be able to apply or renew their business licenses online through an internet-based program developed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to prevent direct contact and possible coronavirus transmissions. Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon said the city’s electronic business permits and licensing system (EBPLS) is the first of its kind in the region to ease business registration and license application procedures, which may take some time and may necessitate close contact with other people—violating physical distancing protocols. “This is a testament to our thrust for a more business-friendly, competitive, and progressive Laoag City by providing a more efficient way of doing business and eliminating red tape in the government,” he said. Mr. Keon added the new system will also facilitate the fast issuance of business permits which will be convenient for the business owners b...

Manila—PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the Philippine's largest and only integrated telecommunications company PLDT, launches the “MVP Bossing 2020” campaign to inspire enterprises to rediscover and reinvent their businesses today to successfully thrive in the future. Semi-annually, PLDT holds the MVP Bossing Awards to give tribute to the Filipino entrepreneurial spirit, celebrating local business owners who have achieved success, with the aim of inspiring others to pursue their dreams and aspirations. This year, MVP Bossing takes on a digital format given the impact of the global pandemic on social events and gatherings. With the theme "Rediscovery. Reinvention”, PLDT Enterprise aims to convey a message of hope—as challenging times bring forth the call to reinvent and rediscover—through the stories of previous MVP Bossing awardees and new aspiring MVP Bossings that have strived to recover from the current situation. "Through this campaign, we want to inspire all of...

  Manila—PLDT Enterprise, together with Smart Communications, Inc., has recently expanded the Smart Giga Study data pack by offering access to both Canvas and NEO Learning Management Systems (LMS) to cater to the current e-learning requirements of schools and universities nationwide.  “With e-Learning being the new norm, we want to help our students and teachers remain productive at home by providing the necessary tools they need for online education," said Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups. “We at PLDT Enterprise are committed to onboarding more LMS platforms for us to assist and serve more schools, more teachers, and more students in making their e-learning efforts easier.” Smart Giga Study is PLDT Enterprise's academe-centric solution to the current need for online learning. It is a prepaid data pack specifically geared towards students and members of the academe allowing easier ac...

  Laoag City —The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, in partnership with Globe Telecom, Inc., has launched its “Go Wi-Fi” service in key locations in the province to bring free internet connection and accessible communication services to Ilokanos.   Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc and Globe President and Chief Executive Officer Ernest Cu signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall Capitol Building on February 11, 2020 to begin the operations.   Cosignatories included Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos, Globe Director for Business Development and Marketing Janis Racpan, Globe Senior Vice President for Enterprise Group Peter Maquera, and Globe Executive Vice President for Channel Management Bernard Llamzon.     At present, the free public Wi-Fi services are available at the Provincial Capitol Building, Aurora Park, Laoag and Batac City Halls, and San Nicolas IT Park.   ...

  MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis (second from right, foreground), shows some of the apparatus inside the newly-inaugurated NBERIC building. ( Reynaldo E. Andres) By Reynaldo E. Andres Contributor CITY OF BATAC—First, it was an ambitious dream to put up a modern facility to produce high grade bioethanol to fill up the shortage of bioenergy in the country and to tap other potential energy sources to reduce the dependence on fossil fuel gas and oil reserves in the region. That dream has become a reality on January 23, 2020 with the formal inauguration and start of operation of the first National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center (NBERIC) based in the main campus of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in this city. The construction of the building started in January last year after a groundbreaking ceremony led by Rep. Dennis Laogan [Ang Kabuhayan Party List], who expressed support to this project. The inauguration of the building was led by...