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In a bid to provide safe, dependable, and future-proof connectivity throughout the Philippines, telecommunications provider InfiniVAN, Inc. and its Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE)-listed parent company IPS, Inc. formally executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) focused on optimizing the utilization of BCDA’s Luzon Bypass Infrastructure (LBI) at the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Tokyo on September 30.
The ceremony was graced by Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene De Joya Garcia-Albano, BCDA President and CEO Joshua M. Bingcang, IPS President and CEO Koji Miyashita, and InfiniVAN President Shigeki Nakahara.
The LBI represents an innovative initiative designed by the Philippine Government through the BCDA, serving as an alternative channel for international submarine cables, avoiding the earthquake-sensitive Luzon Strait. It comprises two strategically positioned submarine cable landing stations (CLS) in San Fernando, La Union, and Baler, Aurora, along with a 240-kilometer (km) multi-duct fiber optic conduit network linking the two CLSs.
Before this signing, a tripartite framework agreement was established among the BCDA, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and Meta (formerly Facebook), wherein the BCDA financed the construction of the LBI for approximately P1 billion in exchange for Meta—acting as the initial user—offering the Philippine Government 2 terabits per second (Tbps) of operable bandwidth between the Philippines and the United States via the Pacific Light Cable Network (PLCN) submarine cable system.
Of the 2 Tbps capacity, 1.5 Tbps is designated for the DICT for its e-Gov, Free Public WiFi, and various mandates, while 500 Gbps is allocated for the BCDA’s usage and distribution to locators across the different ecozones under its management.
However, due to problems surrounding the PLCN, only the CLS in Baler and a portion of the conduit network are currently operational.
Expanded connectivity
By collaborating with BCDA, InfiniVAN and IPS aim to enhance the utilization of the LBI and BCDA’s existing infrastructure initiatives, through leasing, sharing, joint usage or similar arrangements, as an alternative to constructing comparable capital-intensive infrastructure from the ground up.
InfiniVAN also intends to capitalize on its nationwide digital infrastructure—including submarine, aerial, and underground terrestrial fiber—to bolster this partnership.
“InfiniVAN is committed to effectively utilizing this facility to enhance the reliability and resilience of the domestic network and to position the Philippines as one of Asia’s major international communication hubs moving forward,” Mr. Nakahara stated after the MOU signing.
“In addition to our unsolicited proposal for utilizing the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure facilities, we are also engaging in the ongoing bidding for the installation of passive fiber optic network infrastructure in New Clark City,” he elaborated.
IPS’s involvement in the newly announced CANDLE submarine cable project, an 8,000-km system of 24-fiber-pair cables connecting six strategic locations in Asia, along with InfiniVAN’s designation to land one of its branches in Baler, has opened opportunities for utilizing segments of the LBI to link InfiniVAN’s backhaul facilities to telecommunications hubs in the National Capital Region as well as to other submarine cable systems terminating in various parts of the country.
IPS’s current international network also supplies essential redundancy to PLCN capacities that BCDA and DICT rely on.
“The key role that a pair of submarine cable landing stations and the interconnecting backbone for terrestrial connectivity plays is perfectly aligned with our vision of expanding networks both within the Philippines and internationally,” Mr. Miyashita from IPS commented.
“This endeavor demonstrates our strong dedication to advancing the Philippines’ ongoing digital transformation. We strongly believe that the Philippines is destined to be a significant connectivity hub in the Asia-Pacific region—a role it rightfully deserves,” he added.
Addressing gaps
Mr. Bingcang from BCDA mentioned that InfiniVAN is also aiming to bridge the gap for crucial last-mile connectivity in New Clark City (NCC), which is benchmarked to possess the finest ICT infrastructure facilities in the region.
“We have set the vision for New Clark City in terms of ICT connectivity against the best in the region. We aspire to have the fastest internet connection, comparable to Japan and Singapore, at significantly lower costs,” Mr. Bingcang remarked.
Mr. Bingcang further indicated that the collaboration with InfiniVAN and IPS enhances NCC’s potential to draw more investments from international firms.
“It is essential that we provide [last-mile] service in New Clark City. This will greatly ease our efforts to attract additional foreign companies to operate in the Philippines,” he emphasized.
“This partnership with InfiniVAN is proof that we have that confidence from foreign businesses to invest in the Philippines, particularly in New Clark City,” he concluded.
This initiative is also anticipated to expedite the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, bolster government digital services, and create opportunities for economic growth in business hubs and economic zones throughout the nation.
In addition to InfiniVAN and IPS, BCDA also signed memoranda of understanding in Tokyo with Kanadevia Corp. concerning the prospective redevelopment of the Kalangitan Sanitary Landfill and the Development of Waste-to-Energy Facility in NCC, as well as with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for collaborative advancement of energy transition in the Philippines.
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