Negros Occidental and Bacolod City officials held separate meetings with Converge ICT Solution founder and chief executive officer Dennis Anthony Uy to discuss the establishment of high-speed data communication links for a “smart” province and city.

Former Rep. Alfredo Benitez, provincial consultant on economic affairs, said the meeting of Uy with Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Capitol in Bacolod, was to discuss a “digital revolution” in the province this year.

Converge presented its proposed backbone and Optical Distribution Network project for Negros Occidental at the meeting.

The provincial government aims to interconnect all hospitals, schools, city, town and barangay halls and government offices with a fiber-optic network and offer free Wi-Fi for all Negrosanons, Benitez said.

Benitez said it is a national program under the Department of Information and Communications Technology but the provincial government might fill in the gap if the DICT is not ready yet.

They expect the project to begin this year, they are now negotiating with suppliers and operators, as soon as an agreement is reached they can announce the free Wi-Fi program, he said.

This will evolve to a “Smart Province” where more transactions will be done online, Benitez added.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who met with Uy at the Bacolod City Government Center today, said “This is a major development towards our goal in making Bacolod a ‘Smart City’ because an enhanced telecommunications infrastructure will boost our connectivity to the rest of the world.”

Converge is planning to roll out fast fiber Internet service in Bacolod City in the third quarter of this year, to serve homes and businesses, a press release from the Bacolod Public Information Office said.

Uy presented his company’s plans to Leonardia and city government executives.

Uy also promised Leonardia that he will support the distance learning program of the Department of Education and the children of informal settlers from the different barangays of Bacolod City who were either evicted or victims of natural calamities.

He also wants to be a major sponsor of the MassKara Festival once the pandemic is over, the press release said.*