State-owned telecom firm offers e-remittance service

Aside from taking advantage of the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) potential, the government owned Telecommunications Office (TelOf) is up to capture the Filipino dollar earners through its entry into electronic remittance service.

TelOf, which is now managed by Cebuano Elberto Emphasis has recently inked another deal with WorldVoice, a foreign firm, to set up an international electronic remittance system.

This state-run agency which severely hit by the development of technology, is being revived and now embracing the business potentials of telecommunications through high-powered technology.

According to Emphasis, TelOf has recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with WorldVoice, and part of the agreement is for the former to a share of 2.5 percent or an estimated P10.5 million per month from the deal.

From a debt saddled state-owned company last year with P118 million debts, the company is now starting fresh with zero debt as of this year, and ventures into offering high powered technology such as Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), WiMax, among others.

Just like any other telecommunication company, TelOf is taking advantage of the growing number of Filipinos working abroad using money remittance system as the most convenient way in sending money for their families in the Philippines.

Emphasis said its deal with WorldVoice is for the later to install computers and other equipment to cover 1,500 exchanges across the country.

The Telecommunications Office (Telof) has entered into a partnership with WorldVoice to set up an international electronic remittance system targeted to serve overseas Filipino workers.

Telof president Elberto Emphasis said WorldVoice would install the computers and other equipment to cover 1,500 exchanges in the country.

"Hopefully, we can start operating soon," said Emphasis who is also a commissioner of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CITC).

Earlier TelOf entered into a joint venture with ETN Singapore Pte. Ltd. to install new technologies to improve telecommunication access in the Visayas and Mindanao. ETN said it will invest US$30 million in installing Wi-Fi, WIMAS and voice over internet protocol, or VoIP.

Telof was formerly under the Department of Transportation and Communications but is now attached to the Commission on Information and Communications Technology by virtue of Executive Order No. 29 issued in January 2004.

TelOf is taking its ground to compete with the telecom giants in the country to push these private-owned firms to yield and provide affordable cost of communications.

TelOf is a National Government Agency created through legislation. It was previously under the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), but was transferred to the newly created CICT, through Executive Order number 269, on January 2004.

TelOf which was originally providing traditional telecommunications infrastructure like telegram, telegraphic transfer, among others, was severely hit by the advent of technology based communication access like the Internet, e-mail, and other Internet-based communication features.

According to Emphasis, TelOf is ready to compete with the telecom giants, like Philippine Long Distance Company (PLDT), Globe's Innove Communications, especially in pushing the affordable availability of VoIP.