The Globe Group, the Philippines’ leading digital solutions platform, is keen to develop more innovative solutions towards Filipinos’ digital enablement in line with the Marcos administration’s digitalization goals. The Group welcomed the “refreshing change” in public-private sector collaboration through a platform established by the President.

Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO, cited this at the company’s Q2 2022 Media Briefing on August 12, sharing how the Globe Group is encouraged by government’s move to digitalize its processes and streamline transactions for public benefit.

“We very much welcome the government’s push for digitalization. It eliminates red tape, it eliminates bureaucracy and corruption,” Cu said.

He said Globe and its suite of portfolio companies in fintech, health tech, edutech, adtech, e-commerce, outsourcing and managed services are ready to further innovate to deliver solutions to Filipinos’ emerging pain points.

“We have been continuing to develop digital solutions that will solve the pain points of the ordinary Filipino. We’ve developed GCash, we’ve developed KonsultaMD, where Filipinos are encouraged to transact and trust technology through digital applications,” he said.

Cu also expressed enthusiasm over the creation of the Private Sector Advisory Council, a body created on orders of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to boost public-private collaboration towards inclusive national development.

Cu sits on behalf of the Globe Group as member of the body’s Digital Infrastructure sector, which is currently focused on realizing the President’s clarion call for equitable and more expansive internet access across the country.

“The government is now very active in soliciting opinions from the private sector. We’re very glad our voices are being heard by the Palace,” said Cu.

He said Marcos himself attends meetings with the advisory body, giving the private sector an opportunity to directly interface with the country’s new leader.

“What we’ll bring to the table as a group would be our experience on what are the realities on the ground. The President himself attends the meetings, and it’s wonderful we’re able to communicate first hand, not based on impressions or hearsay,” Cu said.

“It’s a truly refreshing change in the mode of communications for the private sector,” he said.

Other than providing insights at the advisory body, Cu said Globe would continue to push for its long-standing policy advocacies. These include the streamlining of the permitting process for telco infrastructure, which started in the last administration to enable faster builds and fulfill greater demand for connectivity at the height of the pandemic.

Cu said Globe will also continue to push for a “more accurate and genuine” national ID system, as many government and private sector projects rely on this. He said a national ID system is crucial in the midst of renewed calls for a law on SIM registration.

In April, then President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed the bill on SIM Registration. There are calls to revive the proposed measure under the new session of Congress.

Globe continues to expand its network towards greater digital enablement among Filipinos. This is in line with its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which foster innovation and infrastructure as drivers of economic growth and development.

In the first half of the year, it built 572 new cell sites, upgraded some 6,800 mobile sites, and installed 933 5G sites. It has also shifted its network in key cities across the country to 4G/LTE, elevating the standard of connectivity in the country.