Cagayan de oro: The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) launched the nationwide broadband mapping system here on Tuesday, developed by engineers and information technology professionals from Northern Mindanao. NTC Commissioner Ella Blanca Lopez stated that the operation of the Quality of Service (QoS) and Broadband Mapping System serves as a toolkit for NTC offices to assist policymakers, investors, and local governments in providing prompt and data-driven information.

According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative aims to offer consumers an improved experience through the ease of doing business in markets and institutions. "This is to establish clear and transparent benchmarks on (data) service providers' speed, reliability for the consumers," Lopez stated, emphasizing that the QoS will ensure service providers deliver the internet speeds advertised in their marketing.

NTC Northern Mindanao Director Teodory Buenavista Jr. described the launch as a milestone, highlighting that the national directorate adopted a system developed primarily by the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) developers. The system offers real-time data on connected communities, which the NTC will manage and monitor.

USTP President Dr. Ambrosio Cultura II noted that the QoS and Broadband Mapping System are essential platforms to bridge the digital divide between communities. Initially, the development team conducted pilot testing in 2,800 villages across 12 regions, with plans to expand to an additional 5,000 villages nationwide following the launch.

In conjunction with the QoS, the NTC also introduced the Edge Extension Program, designed to streamline document tracing and filing within government bureaucracies.