By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
FILIPINO tech blogger Abe Olandres wanted to jump out of his seat and explain to senators the technical aspects of the controversial national broadband network (NBN) project, as he watched the live broadcast of Thursday’s Senate hearing.
In his recent entry, Olandres wrote:
[I've] been watching the live broadcast of the Senate hearing over the National Broadband Network Project for the last 7 hours and I must say that despite the politics behind the issue, I was more frustrated with the Senators asking repetitive questions and making non-sense tech-related conclusions (that goes to Manuel “Mar” Roxas and Richard “Dick” Gordon).
Olandres was among the local bloggers who are weighing in on the issues surrounding the NBN project.
Olandres, better known online by his nick yuga, did not mince words, as he openly expressed his frustration.
It’s just frustrating to realize that such a technological leap forward is marred with corruption and politics. I was jumping on my seat itching to explain to our dear senators the difference between WiMAX, 3G, CDMA2000 and satellite technologies or why the last mile is the most problematic and costly even to the existing private telcos. But, such is life in this country.
Filipino activist and techie Anthony Ian Cruz also shared the same sentiments in his blog entry.
I think Yugatech is justified in bewailing the ignorance of our lawmakers on the project. I agree with him that we need a broadband network. It is really important and countries such as Singapore plan to have one soon. Australia, according to one study, obtained immense benefits from their own broadband network.
Just like the question posed by Senator Francis Escudero during the hearing, Cruz asked,
Do we need [NBN] so badly that we are ready to obtain more than $300-million in new debts to the Chinese government? Is the ZTE contract truly beneficial to the people? Aren’t there other, cheaper ways of setting it all up?
I can’t believe that the ZTE is the best deal we could get now. True, we live in an archipelagic country and this may be a major factor in the huge bill for a national broadband network, but since technology is getting faster and cheaper at the same time, we might as well look for the truly best deal. There must be other options that are more favorable to the Philippines and that should be protected from the government officials and their relatives who salivate for more money at our expense.
The blog Tek for the Pipol (Tech for the People) of Computer Professionals Union member Rick Bahague, said the NBN project is “really about who will get the kickbacks.”
In her blog entry Broadband scam and the legacy of martial law, Carol Araullo wrote that the public is witnessing a “single corruption scandal” that is opening up a can of worms:
Comelec Chair Abalos’ undeniable involvement leads back to the entire ‘Hello Garci’ episode and charges of systematic, massive fraud attending the 2004 presidential and even the recent mid-term elections held under Mr. Abalos’ watch. What’s more, the First Gentleman’s fingerprints on the NBN deal could lead directly to Mrs. Arroyo and could thus be very damaging
Biology student Nina Bumanglag, in her blog Underside was not convinced that Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza was telling the truth:
If NBN is indeed a contract, then JDV3 [Jose De Venecia III] could be telling the truth. If NBN isn’t, then JDV3 is lying. But since Mendoza couldn’t defend the NBN’s nature, then I’ll have my money on JDV3.
September 28th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Maraming bakit
Early into his testimony during the Senate’s probe on the National Broadband Network deal, CHED (read: batikang economist, inalis ng Malakanyang sa NEDA at ginawang CHED head “for a year lang” — bakit?) Secretary Romulo Neri blurted out that, seated beside him23 in a golf car during a golfing spree with ZTE people, COMELEC Chair Benjamin Abalos told him, “Sec, may 200 ka dito.”
Deriving that to have been a bribery attempt with regard to the NBN deal, Neri allegedly told Mrs. Arroyo about it, to which she replied, “Don’t accept it.”
Yun lang?
Kailan nangyari yun? Bakit kahit kasagsagan na nung controversy, Malacanang insisted on pushing through with the Broadband deal? Tapos nitong malapit nang mag-testify si Neri, why did Malacanang suddenly suspend the contract (as if it just had to project that it did something even as the Supreme Court had already ruled against the anomalous deal)? At bakit “suspension” lang at hindi outright cancellation?
Bakit nitong mga nakaraang taon, bihira yung mga officials na nasangkot na sa kontrobersya’t lahat, kapit-tuko pa rin sa poder? Whatever happened to Jocjoc Volante, Winston Garcia, Garci, Bedol, at marami pang iba?
Bakit hindi masagot kahit nino sa Senate probe ang tanong na if they were the President, would they not have cancelled the NBN deal after finding out that the contract involved bribery?
Why did Neri repeatedly invoke executive secrecy even if the matter being tackled is obviously of national interest? Nakatulog kaya ang mga taong ito kagabi? (Tsk tsk tsk… malamang. Mukhang experts na sila sa art of deception and insensitivity on the cushion of wealth and power…)
Tayo kaya? What do we do now? May epekto pa kaya sa atin ang linyang “It takes only one good man to do nothing for evil to flourish”?
September 27th, 2007 at 12:51 am
what tv station airing the live senate hearing?and usually wat tym??tnx..
September 24th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
NBN Project? ung nbn channel 4 nga hindi pa madevelop..panahon pa ata ng JD at DM Transit ung station na un.
September 23rd, 2007 at 9:22 pm
[...] Blog Addicts : Pinoy bloggers weigh in on NBN controversy [...]
September 23rd, 2007 at 4:16 pm
I agree with some of the comments here,NBN is just another deal to get more money from taxpayers. The First daughter should realize facts about her fathers unusual activiites and one advice to her dont judge any persons looks, she looks even worse.