By MARK FRANCISCO
With the recently launched Agila satellite set to start transmission by May next year, Orbits Satellite Corporation is now focusing on a holistic level in connectivity not just here in the Philippines but beyond.
This early, other countries have already expressed interest to use the satellite technology provided by Orbits Satellite Corporation.
“Our ultimate objective is to serve the underserved areas of the country,” Orbits Satellite Corporation president Augusto Baculio Jr. said in an exclusive interview with Mindanao Daily News.
Its first satellite – christened by President Marcos himself as Agila – was launched December 20 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 at Cape Canaveral, Florida together with four other satellites from the United States (three are for commercial on-board connectivity and one for the remotest areas of Alaska).
Of the four, only Agila is the satellite dedicated for Internet connectivity in the rural areas of the Philippines.
Between now and May, Orbits Satellite Corporation is busy preparing the wide array of services that it can offer once Agila starts transmitting towards its operations hub headquartered at Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone.
For starters, the company will be offering bundled satellite television and Internet services at a very affordable cost (P50 a month for high definition and standard TV channels and P350 for Internet at 200 mbps speed).
Baculio explained that unlike obsolete satellite TV companies which require one dish per household, Orbits Satellite Corporation can install one dish only that is capable of transmitting signal at a three-kilometer radius.
“We can put up the satellite dish in your municipal hall so everyone will share the access. That is why the cost per household is very affordable,” he said.
The former congressman from Misamis Oriental is likewise looking forward forging an agreement with the Department of Education (DepEd) for satellite TV in rural schools with one channel that is dedicated per grade level.
If plans don’t miscarry, Orbits Satellite Corporation will also sign an agreement next year with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to be the Internet provider for all air traffic management across the country in a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme.
The opportunities for Orbits Satellite Corporation are endless.
Just recently, investors from 27 French-speaking countries in Africa have signified their interest in acquiring the services of the Baculio-led company for Science, English and Math channels to beam into the continent.
Baculio said that in 2025, another satellite will be launched followed by a third one in 2026.
“Agila represents a significant leap forward in bridging the digital divide, empowering remote communities through seamless connectivity. Collective action will ensure equitable access, drive economic growth and cement the Philippines’ position in the global digital landscape,” Baculio said.
