Mister Chairman,
Secretary General and officers of the International Telecommunication Union,
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Good day! 

It is an honor to participate in the Plenipotentiary Conference 2018. On behalf of the Republic of the Philippines and our delegation, I extend my appreciation to our gracious host, the Government of the United Arab Emirates for providing these excellent facilities here in the beautiful City of Dubai. We recognize the excellent work of the ITU in making this conference possible. 

The Philippine government recognizes the vital role of ICT in nation-building and declares its policy to promote an environment for the development of infrastructures that would ensure the availability of reliable and secure internet access suitable to the needs and aspirations of our Nation. As such, laws were enacted to guarantee that the ecosystem is ready for emerging growth of the ICT sector, such as the Free Wi-Fi Law, where free internet access to the public areas is mandated, and the Ease of Doing Business Act, where ICT is being used as a tool to promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency in government services. 

We are building the landscape for an ICT-enabled economy by addressing emerging and critical issues, such as expansion and inclusivity of economic opportunities, the need for seamless on-line delivery of government services, safe and secure cyberspace through a National Cyber Security Plan 2022, and disaster-resilient communities. In year 2020, Filipinos would be connected to faster and more affordable internet service, giving the nation a more dynamic landscape for competition in the ICT market. To achieve all this, the Philippines intends to implement Government Infostructure Development projects, such as: establishment of two (2) cable landing stations connected through the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure; utilization of 6,200 kilometer-long dark fiber grid for the national government backbone; partnerships with rural electric cooperatives for more effective countryside last mile connectivity to end-users. 

We are, at present, facilitating the entry of a new major player in the telecommunication market to encourage more competition. 

Ladies and gentlemen, to end, allow me to bring to your attention the time I still have for my presentation. This is one reason why you should vote Philippines in the ITU Council because the Philippines always follows the rules and regulations of the ITU. 

Thank you for your kind attention.