Bataan could be first SEA site for Elon Musk’s SpaceX
The country’s internet accessibility has been a long-time concern. But that might change since Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX)’s broadband unit could possibly put up its first Southeast Asian operations at the Freeport Area of Bataan in the town of Mariveles.
On March 31, trade secretary Ramon Lopez announced in a press release that SpaceX will provide internet services using its Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network constellation called Starlink, which is composed of over 1,600 satellites. He claims that this will “enable a much faster broadband speed” and will have “more affordable rates for consumers.”
Meanwhile, Bataan Governor Albert Garcia and AFAB Chairman Pablo Gancayco met with SpaceX Senior Manager for Government Affairs Rebecca Hunter and Starlink Market Access Director Ryan Goodnight. They discussed the performance history of the FAB which led it to become the country’s flourishing freeport and the advantages of its registered firms.
Other officials present in the meeting at the Peninsula Hotel in Makati City were AFAB Deputy Administrator for Operations Alewijn Aidan Ong, AFAB Corporate Affairs Technical Officer Paul Robert Salapantan, iWave president and CEO Ramon Garcia Jr. and iWAR president and CEO Marco Antonio Urera.
Karen Balmaceda-Padaoan, AFAB senior information officer, said, ‘The officials focused on how connectivity shall ultimately be a crucial element in realizing the plans of the Province of Bataan and the Freeport Area of Bataan in the near future.’
While nothing is set in stone yet, AFAB’s powers and functions were strengthened with the passage of Republic Act 11453 in 2019, which enabled the freeport to expand its operations anywhere within Bataan. It now has the capacity to license, register, supervise, and approve local and foreign business entities engaged in several pioneering industries.
Lopez also revealed that SpaceX will set up its own subsidiary in the country to serve as its “corporate vehicle” for the project. This is expected to be finalized before President Rodrigo Duterte steps down from his seat on June 30, 2022.
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Source: we the pvblic
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