Ambassador Kazuya Endo signed and exchanged notes with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique A. Manalo for an Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) System at the University of the Philippines (UP) under the Government of Japan’s Economic and Social Development Programme.
Also in attendance was UP Vice President for Digital Transformation Dr. Peter A. Sy.
This grant of up to JPY 444 million seeks to strengthen the information and telecommunications infrastructure in the Philippines by providing Open RAN-related equipment to UP.
This initiative aims to enable an open, interoperable, secure, reliable, and trusted information communications technology ecosystem in the country.
The project is expected to establish an environment to deploy Open RAN leading to increased competition in the base station market, which will lead to lower costs in the deployment and operation of 5G networks, as well as stimulate innovation, in the Philippines.
This project supports the key priority areas of the Philippine government and aligns with the goals of the Japan-U.S.-Philippines Leaders’ Meeting held in April 2024, wherein the three nations confirmed to strengthen cooperation in the field of information and communications technology, in part by promoting Open RAN.
During the event, Ambassador Endo said that this project on Open RAN manifests our commitment to stronger cooperation on information and communications technology. He also emphasized the significance of prosperity founded on strategic collaboration not only to regional development but also to our vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.