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Palace: Honasan to provide 'good direction, sound management' to DICT


Malacañang on Friday welcomed Senator Gregorio Honasan II’s decision to accept President Rodrigo Duterte’s offer to be his next Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) secretary.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Palace was “glad” with the development which comes at a time when the department is working on to deliver Duterte’s promise to have a third telco player before the year ends.

“With the entry of a provisional new major player in the telecommunications industry, we are confident that the senator would provide good direction and sound management to the DICT, consistent with the President’s priority programs beneficial to Filipino consumers in the areas of information, communications and technology,” Panelo said.

“For now, we congratulate Senator Honasan and wish him all the best as he undertakes genuine reforms in the DICT.”

Duterte on Thursday night said he asked Honasan, whose Senate term will end in June 2019, to join him in the "quest for better Philippines and a better government."

It was Senate President Vicente Sotto III who disclosed Honasan's looming appointment to the Duterte administration. Sotto expressed hope on Wednesday that the appointment papers of Honasan would be released on November 12 when the Senate session resumes.

The DICT is currently headed by Acting Secretary Eliseo Rio who is asking for more time from the President to finish the third telco initiative before Honasan takes over the department.

On Wednesday, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) declared Mislatel Consortium as the country's provisional third telco.

The consortium is made up of Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corp., its subsidiary Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp., and state-owned China Telecommunications Corp.

The NTC will scrutinize the consortium’s commitments regarding internet coverage and speed once its status is officially confirmed as the new major player in the telecom industry. —KBK, GMA News

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