Eastern Communications expands its footprint in the rural areas of Visayas and Mindanao through its $150-million Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN), a joint undertaking with its partners, Globe and InfiniVAN, Inc. The PDSCN is the longest undersea fiber cable network in the Philippines and Eastern Communications aims to serve more customers by boosting its network resiliency in remote and disaster-prone areas.

Before leaving from Iloilo and Bacolod, the state-of-the-art Cable Infinity ship operated by Kokusai Cable Ship Co., had arrived at the municipality of Dapa, Siargao on September 22. To mark this milestone, Eastern Communications and its partners held a cable laying ceremony. The ship was welcomed by the three partner companies, Dapa Mayor Hon. Elizabeth Matugas, Vice Mayor Gerry M. Abejo, Councilor Arnoldo Bongvaros, Councilor Carlito Dones, Municipal Admin Lily Gonzales, Barangay Captain of Don Paulino Albino Tarife, Sangguniang Bayan members, and department heads of the local government.

With PDSCN, Eastern Communications and its partners hope to fortify network connectivity in Siargao after it recently opened its doors again to tourists following the damage wrought by Typhoon Odette. Earlier this year, the telco extended support to the victims of said calamity. The company believes in the importance of having high speed and reliable connectivity, especially for customers in Visayas and Mindanao area. With the country being part of the Pacific Ocean’s typhoon belt, these disaster-prone areas are more vulnerable to power outages and network issues from damaged cabling.

Rene Martin Go, Globe Senior Director for Transport Engineering and Optimization mentioned his hopes for Siargao’s recovery and said, “We all saw how Super Typhoon Odette severely affected Siargao. We believe fiber connectivity will help the community recover faster.”

Moreover, the company is bringing to life its commitment to democratize technology across the country and to help businesses emerge stronger, paired with its “High Tech” and “High Touch” services—its two-pronged unique branding of cutting-edge solutions paired with excellent customer service. The PDSCN project will be deployed in Mactan, Cebu in October, and in other key islands such as Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro, Boracay, and Zamboanga, over the next months.

Inviting more local businesses to Thrive

As part of its plan to reach more areas in Visayas and Mindanao, Eastern Communications will host the Thrive Summit at Savoy Hotel, Boracay on September 23. The summit will gather industry leaders to discuss Eastern’s best-in-class digital solutions responsive to the latest technological trends. Thrive will be open for registration to the public. To save a seat, register at tinyurl.com/ThriveSummitBoracay2022.