PLDT Completes Permits With Tagbanua ICCs for Submarine Cable Project

PLDT has finished signing Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) with the Tagbanua Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC) of Palawan and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for the Palawan Resiliency Submarine Cable Project.

The latest signing with the Tagbanua Tandulanen Indigenous Cultural Community (ICC) in Sibaltan, El Nido reinforces their shared commitment to recognize and protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights through continued adherence to cultural, social, and environmental safeguards while implementing and completing the network project, completes the series of MOA signing ceremonies with members of the Tagbanua Central ICC in Napsan, Puerto Princesa, and the Tagbanua Calamian ICC in Busuanga earlier this year.

“We wish to convey our sincere appreciation to our Tagbanua brothers and sisters, as well as the NCIP, for working with us in this initiative. As we continue to endeavor to finish this project without doing harm to the environment, trust that we do not take our role lightly as responsible co-stewards of our natural resources,” said Arvin L. Siena, PLDT Vice President for Network Design and Engineering, who attended all three signing ceremonies in Puerto Princesa, Busuanga and El Nido.

The critical PLDT submarine cable project is designed to keep the province and its communities connected via additional submarine cable routes.

“This project is important not only to the barangay, but to the province of Palawan and the country as a whole,” Siena explained. “The cables that we are laying here connect Palawan to the rest of the Philippines and the world. They enable families to keep in touch, whether via calls or Facebook Messenger, help students access resources for online learning, and empower businesses to participate in online marketplaces, for example,” he added.

During the signing ceremonies in El Nido, community leaders expressed their gratitude and hope. “We thank NCIP and PLDT for giving importance to us and our community. Our partnership is important to us, too, and we look forward to working closely with you in the years to come,” said Kamaulangan Nelson Biennes, Tribal Affairs Assistant 1.

PLDT Group’s continued efforts to expand and enhance its network infrastructure across the country are aligned with the Group’s goal to level up customer experience while supporting the government’s overall digitalization thrust. This also contributes to the PLDT Group’s endeavors to help the country achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), particularly SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.