(Inquirer) Smart Communications Inc. had set up a cellular site in the Spratlys, about 800 kilometers from Palawan's capital city of Puerto Princesa.




THE PHILIPPINES' remotest municipality marked Independence Day free from isolation, with a cellular site built on Kalayaan Island in the Spratlys activated on the eve of the national holiday.
Smart Communications Inc. set up the cellular site in the town's sole barangay, Pag-asa Island, about 800 kilometers from Palawan's capital city of Puerto Princesa.

Kalayaan Mayor Rosendo Mantes said he was optimistic that with telecommunication facilities in place, development would follow and boost the town's potentials for tourism and commercial fishing.

Mantes received the first call at 5:18 p.m. on Saturday from Vladimir G. Pascual, Smart senior manager of Network Services Division (NSD)-Project Management and Implementation for South Luzon.

Pascual led the engineering team that set up the cell site.

Pag-asa, the largest of eight islands in the Spratlys Group claimed by the Philippines, is home to about 300 soldiers and locals, who have virtually been living in isolation. There are no regular commercial trips to and from the island, and communication is limited to radio facilities owned by the military.

Mantes thanked Energy Secretary Vince Perez, Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and Vice Admiral Ruben G. Domingo for helping make the construction of the cell site a reality.

The Spratlys, composed of about 100 reefs and islets in the South China Sea, is surrounded by rich fishing grounds and gas and oil deposits.

The People's Republic of China, Taiwan and Vietnam each lay claim to the entire group of islands. Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei claim parts of it.
In September 2002, a number of civilians from Palawan were persuaded to resettle in Pag-asa and strengthen the Philippine claim on the Kalayaan Islands.

Many have since left and now live in various parts of Palawan. The municipality has opened an extension office in Puerto Princesa.

"We are committed to serving the communication needs of Filipinos, even in far-flung areas," said Rolando G. Pe¤a, Smart's NSD head.

Smart has the most extensive and modern digital communications GSM network and infrastructure in the country, covering 97 percent of the population.

As of the end of March, its GSM network consisted of 36 switches and over 5,400 base stations, serving some 20.2 million subscribers.