NGCP is sowing ‘propaganda’ about broadband plan deal —Transco

State-run National Transmission Corp. (Transo) on Friday said the offer by National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) allowing the government to use its fiber optic network for the National Broadband Plan is mere “propaganda.”

“Iyon pong nilabas nila na advertisement ay isang malinaw na propaganda, kasi alam nila nagalit na si Presidente,” Transco president and CEO Melvin Matibag said in an interview on “Dobol B sa News TV.”

“Kasi ang sabi nila libre ‘pag government-to-government, pero pag may papasok na ibang commercial gusto nila may kita, kaya po isang malaking kasinungalingan ang sinasabi nila,” Matibag said.

In a separate interview with Dobol B sa News TV, NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza said that NGCP is willing to let the government use its facilities at no cost.

“Kung pribado po ang gagamit kailangang i-negotiate ang commercial aspects kasi po nasa batas po ‘yan at prangkisa namin ‘yan na kung meron man kaming kitain sa pagpapagamit ng fiber optics cable namin kalahati ho niyan mandato namin ibigay ‘yan para bumaba ang rate ng transmission,” Alabanza said.

The Electric Power Industry Reform Act mandates the NGCP not to earn from any enterprise not related to its core business and that 50 percent of earnings should be used to subsidize transmission charges, with the other 50 percent going to Transco.

Alabanza also claimed that Transco interfered on the NGCP deal with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) regarding the broadband plan.

Matibag challenged Alabanza in a debate to clarify the matter.

“Ito po ang hamon ko kay Attorney Mutya, sa Lunes, imbitahan niyo po kami pag-usapan namin ‘yung sinasabi nila,” he said.

Transco never interfered with the NGCP-DICT deal, but was only protecting the interest of the government, Matibag noted.

“Ang Transco po mawawala sa usapan. Sino po ang may-ari ng facilities? Gobyerno through Transco. Ang NGCP maintenance and operation,” Matibag said.

Alabanza, however, maintained that the Transco should not be part of the deal.

“Klaro po sa batas at sa kanilang kontrata na dito sa isinapribado nila, na lahat po ng negosasyon sa pagpapatakbo ng negosyo, kasama po ang pagpapalawig ng fiber optic network. ‘Yung pagpapahiram kung kanino mang third party kasama na po ang gobyerno, binigay po ‘yan sa NGCP,” she said. —Ted Cordero/VDS/GMA News