Globe Telecom called on real estate developers to prioritize internet connectivity in their estate development master plans as it is a key requirement for the Philippines to be ready for the 4th Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0).
Manny Estrada, Globe senior vice president for Network Strategy, said during the IR 4.0 Summit “Winning Together in the Fourth Industrial Revolution” that real estate developers must realize connectivity has become a necessity just like electricity and water.
“As we prepare our country for the IR 4.0, real estate developers can no longer say that connectivity will just follow after the property is built,” Estrada said.
The National Building Code does not require real estate and property developers to have provisions for connectivity unlike electricity and water, making it more difficult to provide telecommunication services within buildings and other property developments to the detriment of tenants.
Estrada revealed that the real estate industry is part of the digital ecosystem that is crucial for the growth of the digital economy as more and more people transact online. “For those in the Airbnb business, how many of your clients would ask how strong is your internet? Or how many of your tenants shop using Lazada, Shopee or Zalora? How many of them pay their bills online?” Estrada said.
He also explained that industries which dominate the real estate sector like the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) or even the growing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) would require not just a stable connectivity but redundancy as well. “Telco exclusivity in the real estate landscape should no longer be practiced. Redundancy is a crucial aspect in business continuity for many enterprises leasing your properties,” he added.
He emphasized the need for telcos and real estate developers to collaborate to make the Philippines ready for IR 4.0. “We know that the real estate and property developers have a vision of how communities will be empowered by technologies. This is why we need to work together because there is no point of talking about housing and real estate in IR 4.0 if we aren’t on the same page,” he exclaimed.
“Telcos need to be involved from day one. You have architects and urban planners and we have IT and network engineers with us. We can be successful in building intelligent communities together if we are working together from day one,” he said.
The first IR 4.0 Summit was presented by the Philippine Chambers of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO). Housing & Land Use Regulatory Board Acting Commissioner Atty. Melzar Galicia and Chamber of Real Estate & Builders Association President Noel Carino were part of the panel with Estrada. It was also attended by 30 delegates from various real estate development companies.
