The ZTE-NBN Deal: What now?

[Godfather]

You can compare there previous and existing projects with that of NBN's scope... and see if a $329-million price tag is overpriced.

Even Globe and PLDT may have difficulty in creating a new national network (connecting all barangays) with this kind of budget.

Get the facts first before you believe the media

I think this project would be good for the country. Even if we have to spend $500M instead of the $320M, for as long as all that money is spent for the purpose, I would be supporting it. The issue is the circumstances surrounding the approval of the project. The absence of a bidding process and the fact that the contract was supposedly stolen in the China hotel immediately after its signing, witnessed by the President herself, followed by the allegations of bribery and commissions are just too unsavory for a people crying out for our leaders to put an end to corruption.

The project itself is not beyond the capabiulities of Filipinos. The DOST, for instance, has already a network run by its agency ASTI which does what the NBN is supposed to do, but in a smaller scale. This was all designed and installed by Pinoys around the PREGINET, and can be expanded into a truly national broadband with proper government funding. For a country unable to provide enough jobs to the people, wouldn't doing this by ourselves be the better choice? Why was this project not openly discussed and perhaps assigned to a government agency to accomplish if savings could be made by doing so?

[vipvip68]

I'm just curious ha. Basin napildi siya sa bidding that's why he is blaming the first gentleman. You know business...

Even if ni sour grape sya because he lost out to ZTE... you don't just accuse the first gentleman and members of the cabinet without basis... it's tantamount to suicide in this country. Lesser men would have taken the $10M bribe pero this Joey guy is something else...

[vipvip68]

I think this project would be good for the country. Even if we have to spend $500M instead of the $320M, for as long as all that money is spent for the purpose, I would be supporting it. The issue is the circumstances surrounding the approval of the project. The absence of a bidding process and the fact that the contract was supposedly stolen in the China hotel immediately after its signing, witnessed by the President herself, followed by the allegations of bribery and commissions are just too unsavory for a people crying out for our leaders to put an end to corruption.

The project itself is not beyond the capabiulities of Filipinos. The DOST, for instance, has already a network run by its agency ASTI which does what the NBN is supposed to do, but in a smaller scale. This was all designed and installed by Pinoys around the PREGINET, and can be expanded into a truly national broadband with proper government funding. For a country unable to provide enough jobs to the people, wouldn't doing this by ourselves be the better choice? Why was this project not openly discussed and perhaps assigned to a government agency to accomplish if savings could be made by doing so?

I think it's a waste of taxpayer's money..... sakto sila Senator Gordon and Roxas... better spend this on other projects like Education and Computers in Classrooms / Computerized Elections.

[kolz]

Try reading ZTE's website and press statements. They said they are brave enough to face the Senate inquiry and will depend the proposed $300+ M budget for the project. In the press release they are also willing to prove that the $330 M project is just and that there is no overpricing.

I think there is no anomaly in this case, this is just a case of a sour graping businessman. The NBN deal is important, but not so important. There was a similar infrastructure here in Singapore - Singapore Broadband Deal which the cost is estimated at about (RM3 Billion to RM5 Billion around $100 Million) about $200 Million less to implement, however considering the area of coverage in the Philippines (as compared to Singapore), lack of initial infrastructure, plus the maintenance for the infrastructure over time, I think the $300+ M plus is just enough.

If there ever was a fault, I could only wish that this money may have been put to better use on something else. But as others would argue, the NBN is a must, its a way to move forward for the Phils. to be competitive in the global economy.

[junmar4]

I think it's a waste of taxpayer's money..... sakto sila Senator Gordon and Roxas... better spend this on other projects like Education and Computers in Classrooms / Computerized Elections.

they have a project nga wala sila siguro kinsa ug unsa ka daku ang makabenipisyo. Sakto jud si Roxas last night. Bungabunga ug wa sa punto ang mga tubag ni Mendoza.

[diem]

[color=navy]OT:

Reading the posts in the topic here is a relief to me. I read the reply posts of those who cared to share in the Philippine Star online article (where one can post comments about the subject of the article) and all I find are comments full of anger, bias and cruel criticisms on this matter.

[b]Here, we have some of that but these are tempered to a higher degree of civility and common sense. Let us please continue this discussion this way.

[vipvip68]

Try reading ZTE's website and press statements. They said they are brave enough to face the Senate inquiry and will depend the proposed $300+ M budget for the project. In the press release they are also willing to prove that the $330 M project is just and that there is no overpricing.

I think there is no anomaly in this case, this is just a case of a sour graping businessman. The NBN deal is important, but not so important. There was a similar infrastructure here in Singapore - Singapore Broadband Deal which the cost is estimated at about (RM3 Billion to RM5 Billion around $100 Million) about $200 Million less to implement, however considering the area of coverage in the Philippines (as compared to Singapore), lack of initial infrastructure, plus the maintenance for the infrastructure over time, I think the $300+ M plus is just enough.

If there ever was a fault, I could only wish that this money may have been put to better use on something else. But as others would argue, the NBN is a must, its a way to move forward for the Phils. to be competitive in the global economy.

I don't see how the NBN deal will move the country forward and become competitive in the global economy. As defined in the Senate hearing yesterday, the NBN deal is just a means to connect all the government agencies (down to the 5th and 6th level municipalities). The whole infrastructure they plan to setup (Nationwide WiMax) is over designed... IMO.

ONLY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES can make use of the $300+ Million investment... that's just not right... like Senator Roxas said... .it's like building NLEX and only allowing government vehicles to use it.

We currently have the connectivity via Globe, PLDT to reach most municipalities... and we can easily have these private companies build infrastructure to cater to the remaining municipalities... that would be less costly that making a whole new network infrastructure.

Frankly, I believe that our government agencies are incapable of making use of this system. Unlike countries like Singapore which has very competent government employees.... (Singapore government employees earn higher than most non government employees and are the most skilled people in their country). How can you teach people in 5th and 6th class municipalities to use this system effectively?

[Godfather]

I think it's a waste of taxpayer's money..... sakto sila Senator Gordon and Roxas... better spend this on other projects like Education and Computers in Classrooms / Computerized Elections.

I respect yours and Sens Gordon & Roxas' opinion. But think: Government agencies all connected together in a national network where information is almost instantaneous and communication via IP. If managed properly, government businesses that needed to be transacted in Manila can now be done in the city or in a bigger barrio and long distance charges will be a thing of the past. Provincial Customs and BIR offices' transactions can be tracked easily. Even the computerization of elections will be made easier by using the network. Instead of computerizing agency by agency, let's look at the bigger picture and plan the network architecture for the whole country vis a vis the government needs. That is what the potential of this NBN is.

Where I live, information is at the tip of managerial fingers. Decisions are made easier and knowledgeably. Once our politicians decide to govern instead of steal, they will have similar information at the tip of their fingers to base their decisions on. Guesswork will be lessened because data can be easily pulled, so that data like the future impact to our children of a $329M loan can be predicted. Yeah, I know, I know, I'm dreaming.

[kolz]

I don't see how the NBN deal will move the country forward and become competitive in the global economy. As defined in the Senate hearing yesterday, the NBN deal is just a means to connect all the government agencies (down to the 5th and 6th level municipalities). The whole infrastructure they plan to setup (Nationwide WiMax) is over designed... IMO.

ONLY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES can make use of the $300+ Million investment... that's just not right... like Senator Roxas said... .it's like building NLEX and only allowing government vehicles to use it.

We currently have the connectivity via Globe, PLDT to reach most municipalities... and we can easily have these private companies build infrastructure to cater to the remaining municipalities... that would be less costly that making a whole new network infrastructure.

Frankly, I believe that our government agencies are incapable of making use of this system. Unlike countries like Singapore which has very competent government employees.... (Singapore government employees earn higher than most non government employees and are the most skilled people in their country). How can you teach people in 5th and 6th class municipalities to use this system effectively?

I think you didn't see the advantages of the broadband system. Do you know how much infrastructure was needed to build up and maintain the ATM (Megalink and Bancnet) networks in the Philippines? Why is that information available only to government agencies? - Just like bank accounts, do you want to share it with just about everybody if this is made available to everyone outside the government? Surely there can be a lot that can benefit from this - Customs, BIR, LTO, NSO, etc ... even the Dept. of Education. I know I can't compare the scenario there in the Philippines and here Singapore where I now live, all the conveniences of having information right at your fingertips, gov. transactions are made much much easier. There were already a lot of broadband providers here in Singapore but the gov. still chooses to build up its own broadband network - its like a government VPN.

My argument is - is that the NBN is still very much beneficial but it may have come too soon for its time.

[baron]

Well, it looks like there's really no anomaly whatsoever. From the Senate investigation that I happen to watched yesterday, the broadband deal is good for the country. The capital of AHI is just 5 million pesos which could not back up its own proposal for the broadband deal which is 350 million, if I'm not mistaken. This is the reason why it was given to other companies.

Joey De Venecia might really be sourgraping because his father's influence did not help him bag the deal.