Converge ICT earmarks $250M investment to nationwide expansi

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Converge ICT, the country’s premier pure end to end fiber internet service provider, received a multi-million-dollar investment from Warburg Pincus, a private equity firm based in the United States.

Converge ICT has been aggressively expanding its fiber infrastructure with the aim of providing Filipinos access to the more reliable fiber internet connection. The $250 million or P12.8 billion investment will be earmarked on rolling out more fiber connections nationwide.

(L-R) Converge ICT COO Jesus C. Romero, Converge ICT President; CEO Dennis H. Anthony Uy, Maria Grace Y. Uy, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Y. Kim, DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan, and Warburg Pincus LLC Managing Director Saurabh Agarwal

"Since going full throttle with our fiber network roll-out and package offerings, the change in overall Philippine performance has been noticeable," said Dennis Uy, founder and president, Converge ICT. "In 2018, the average connection has risen to 18Mbps. We don't take full credit but the company’s contributions have been undeniable."

This is the Warburg Pincus' first investment in the Philippines. One of the world's biggest equity firms has $20 billion invested in Asia and about $65 billion in assets under management.

"We are excited about the country’s young, digital-savvy population and its thriving services industries, which have created an outsized need for connectivity and will create explosive growth in the broadband space," said Saurabh Agarwal, managing director, Warburg Pincus. "Converge ICT is a remarkable business and growth story and I am confident that it will continue to achieve significant growth milestones and solve the ever-increasing connectivity needs of the country."

Converge ICT is looking at capturing 30% of the country's broadband market in the next few years. With this investment, Converge ICT will be able to fastrack the construction of its $1.8-billion nationwide internet backbone. The current rollout includes a $70-million domestic submarine cable with 20 landing stations across the Philippines. The Luzon backbone is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2020.

"Converge ICT is the only pure end-to-end fiber internet provider in the country with all-in house capabilities," said Uy. "We have been investing heavily on innovations that would move the broadband market forward so we can be on par with our neighbors. We have rolled out 400Gbps per channel in the past."

At present, Converge ICT is looking at doubling its half-a-million subscribers by next year. Seventy percent of the company's customer base are first-time fixed broadband service users and Uy plans to increase that with more expansions in the coming months.

"We are 100% committed to the long-term success of our partners Converge ICT and, more importantly, the success of the Filipino customers whom we serve, and their connectivity needs we seek to provide," said Agarwal.

The choice of Warburg Pincus to stream fresh funds to Converge ICT is due to the former's deep understanding of the business and expertise. Uy reiterated that it is not always about the money but making the Philippines more competitive in the world market by providing more reliable broadband service.

"To bring about real-life change and progress," Uy said. "That is our commitment to the Filipinos. To serve the under-served and unserved. Together, we will use technology to be what it has been set out to be. To make information more readily available, services faster, communities safer and life, in general, better. Convenience on-demand."

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"Clean and honest election for our children, our next generation of leaders and citizens" -- Senator Gringo Honasan

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We spend most time of our days on social media, login in from network to network, checking all the emails, updates and notification, planning ahead, and performing the sundry tasks and share important information to be of help to all.

The media plays a major role in keeping the citizenry abreast of current events and raising awareness of various issues.

“Social media has become a very powerful tool and it has also become a very irresponsible tool. When you’re behind that screen, you can say and do anything, and hide,” Senator Gringo Honasan said.

He ask for media/bloggers’ help to propagate idealism, sense of duty, and love of country to those who are willing to listen. 

Recently, with other bloggers, and I for the first time, met the most senior and experienced vice presidential candidate this coming election - Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II.

Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II, a family man, a 4-time senator, ex-military man, former coup plotter, soldier for 17 years prior to his 7 years stint as a rebel, and 18 years as senator. . . United Nationalist Alliance's vice presidential bet in 2016. He’s actually planning to retire on 2019. “But I think God wants to punish me some more and put me into this interesting situation,” he said.

“Ill put my 42 years of public service on the line and tell the people what makes me different, the strength, courage of my convictions and the audacity to make things happen. I will help solve crimes or die trying."

'I have always been a good soldier'.

As a solider, he saw action in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and earned a number of medals, awards, decorations and commendations for gallantry in action including three Distinguished Conduct Stars, Gold Cross medals and Wounded Personnel Medals sustained in combat. 

Honasan became famous for his role in the 1986 EDSA Revolution. 

As a senator, his main advocacies include environmental, military, police, and agrarian reform issues. 

Honasan is the sponsor of the POGI bill, also known as the Freedom of Information or People’s Ownership of Government Information Act of 2012.

Some of the bills he authored and co-authored include the Clean Air Act of 1999, Clean Water Act, National Security Policy, Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act of 2009, and Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

On Election 2016

Senator Gringo Honasan is looking forward for a clean and honest election “I hope walang dayaan dahil.” We will create more problems than solutions. It will divide our country some more. I keep on looking for the other candidates so we can talk seriously while things are uncertain. 

“This country with all its problems is still so blessed. The interesting part, all we need to do is to wake up every morning and continue breathing.”

“Is another EDSA possible? The answer to election fraud is not a protest. The answer to a malicious prosecution is not a motion for reconsideration. The malicious prosecution is not a motion for reconsideration. Honasan stressed that the answer, which we found 30 years ago, is in our hearts. As he place his hands in his chest pointing to his heart. 

Hope springs eternal. I think we’ll weather this. We’ll survive this. Eleksyon lang ito, di ba? To what cost? More institution being damaged? Pati ba naman ang eleksyon ay mada-damage beyond repair? Yung judiciary, yung mga kandidato, yung siraan, personalan, di ba? Yun ba ang price ng clean and honest elections? Where is now our sense of nationhood? I cannot imagine myself allowing any of my children to go and look for another country. Aapihin lang sila roon. Dito na lang tayong lahat. But let’s fix naman our own backyard,” as Sen. Honasan opined on the coming election. 

What constitute our national interest? 

When you talk about a policy where we have a vacuum, we don’t have a clear economic policy, foreign policy, security policy, and everything emanates from there. 

The problem really is we don’t have clear definition of what constitutes our national interests. 

"We have failed to realize that our most precious, strategic, and renewable are our children, our next generation of leaders and citizens. The job of our generation is to help make the next generation of leaders and citizens smarter, healthier, stronger, happier, and safer – much needed formula for national development, long term development. "

"He (VP Jojo Binay) keeps on telling all audiences that I’m going to be his anti-crime czar. I will have to clear this up with him because I want to know exactly what it means,” Honasan said. 

“If you’re talking about anti-crime, I’d rather deal with it in a generic sense. Like peace and order, it’s not something that you relegate to policemen and soldiers only. Security, safety, protection, it has to be in compassing,” he said. 

Sen. Honasan wants to achieve is to bring back our OFWs by generating more job opportunities that will not require for them to leave our country anymore. "There are 14 million scattered in 200 countries all over the world,” he added. 

On security and fixing the nation

“Nobody is safe anymore. That’s my take. But to me, crime is not the problem. The idea of crime is the problem. Sino ba ang gustong maging kriminal? Given a choice, bigyan ka ng trabaho, assuming hindi ka tamad, sino ang gustong maging rebelde, maging terrorist?” Honasan asked. Unfortunately, because of poverty, crime has become a lucrative idea. Crime solved in 6 months? Sen. Honasan admits that he has serious doubts with anybody who can promise that. 

“Unless you are given super emergency powers and your national security adviser is Iron Man, Superman, or other superheroes. But that’s a good campaign and then that’s just a promise,” Sen. Honasan added.

"This is not going to be a quick fix. We are not going to do this overnight," he said after one blogger asked on fixing the nation.

There will be more on knowing candidates for the Election 2016.

Social media's basic role is to enlighten and educate the public and act as a neutral, objective platform for all points of view.

National candidates kick off campaigns for 2016 elections : UNA Vice Presidential candidate Honasan for Equality, for Progress

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Starting today, February 9, the race for the country’s top elective posts is on. Presidential and vice presidential candidates kick off campaign, present their platform and programs before the public to become the Philippines’ top leaders for the next six years.

Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II

United Nationalist Alliance Vice Presidential candidate Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II, armed with almost 40 years of experience both as part of the military and as a member of the Philippine Senate, hits the campaign trail today with the battle cry “Patas ang Laban.”

His platform of government complements UNA standard-bearer VP Jejomar Binay’s “Gaganda ang Buhay” that when combined means EQUALITY leads to BETTER LIVES. 

Senator Honasan is an advocate Pro-Poor Governance & Ideology by integrating poverty reduction, respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms to allow people to live with dignity. 

“The key to progress is to adopt economic and social policies that are responsive to the people’s needs, while holding decision makers accountable to the people and make them adhere to the rule of Law,” he said of his platform of government. 

“We need to harness our natural resources to ensure sustainable development, maximize the potential of an empowered citizenry, and the economic impact of the business sector, to attain the liberalization of the less fortunate citizens from poverty and unconscionable inequality,” Senator Honasan added. 

Senator Honasan has fought for a lot of different causes throughout his life—17 years as a soldier, 7 years as a rebel and 21 years as a Senator, but the one thing that has remained constant is his guiding principle for God, Country and Family. 

As a solider, Senator Honasan gallantly fought for democracy earning him a number of medals, awards, decorations and commendations for gallantry in action including three Distinguished Conduct Stars, Gold Cross medals and Wounded Personnel Medals sustained in combat. In 1985, he was recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men given by the Philippine Jaycees. 

In 1986, Honasan was one of the young leaders who broke away from the martial law government and led his troops to ignite the EDSA revolution. 

In 1995, Senator Honasan ran for office as the first truly independent candidate in Philippine political history to win a Senate seat. He was re-elected in 2001, 2007 and recently in 2013. 

Achievements And Accomplishments 

He is principal author and co-author of, among others, the Clean Air Act of 1999, Clean Water Act, the National Security Policy, Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act of 2009, the Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms Law (CARPER). He is shepherding the Freedom of Information Act which he now refers to as the POGI Bill – People’s Ownership of Government Information Act, the National Mapping and Resource Authority Law and the Land Use Act. 

Senator Honasan has proposed a Mini-Marshall Plan for Mindanao to help jumpstart economic development, peace and order, and political unity. The proposal will also help end centuries of armed conflict and terrorism. 

To date, he has sponsored over 200 Medical-Dental-Surgical Missions in depressed areas of the country, serving at least 20,000 indigent patients. 

He is a prime mover of the National Security Strategy Framework which seeks to define the country’s national security and strategy in the light of internal and external security threats and the consequent National Peace Policy. 

Sponsored the computer education scholarship of 3,000 students thru the Sulong Dunong sa Kaunlaran program and the college scholarship of 106 out-of-school youths. 

Under the Gregorio B. Honasan Peace and Development Foundation, he regularly distributes relief assistance to calamity-hit areas in the country. 

Served thousands of constituents requesting for claims for PVAO, SSS and AFP/PNP claims and refund of teachers’ loans through his Public Service Program aired over RMN-DZXL and DZRH-Radyo Natin and Gringo Honasan Reports aired over RPN-9 and PTV-4. 

“This election is not about me. It is about you, your future and the future of the country. This may be the last time I will stand on a national platform to speak to the Filipino people. And my message to those who were born during that time and those who were not yet born, is this: ‘When the Filipino people get together with their soldiers under moral leadership, change is possible, that the systemic changes and the re-engineering of our society and our government that is required for real reforms can actually happen—we did it 30 years ago, I believe we can do it again. All we need to do is to make rational, intelligent, informed decisions based on facts, not on popularity or perception before we cast our vote.’” 

“I have dedicated most of my life to my country, yet for a few times, history has placed me as an enemy of the government and the people I have sworn to protect. History may be written by the victors, but it is up to us to carve out our own legacy, and my accomplishments are proof of what I have done for our country.” 

“I have stood in the grounds of Malacanang Palace three times in my life in full combat gear without an invitation except the invitation from my conscience, but after 42 years, now, I know exactly what to do.” 

Gringo Honasan – for Equality, for Progress, for Vice President.

Know the candidates for Election 2016.