Manila (12 October) -- The government should implement a National Broadband Network (NBN) project which will link all the regions, provinces, municipalities in a seamless communication network that would provide immediate and ready information, accelerate economic development and ensure political stability.

The project will provide solutions to help governance as once all government agencies become interconnected, the more efficient and effective in providing public service it will become.

Accordingly, the establishment of a secure broadband network is mandated under the E-Commerce Law and is stipulated in the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan for the period 2004-2010. The objective is also part of the digital infrastructure component of President Arroyo's Ten-Point Agenda.

Thus, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) officials are now having exploratory talks with local telecommunications companies in an effort to attract private sector participation in the government's national broadband network (NBN) project, which might be offered through public bidding next year.

According to DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza, those invited to the exploratory talks, which began last Oct. 9, were officials from Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., Globe Telecom, Bayan Telecommunications Corp. and Digital Telecommunications or Digitel.