Japan’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Yokota Naobumi, attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a new submarine cable landing station in Baler, Aurora last Wednesday. The facility is being built by telecommunications company InfiniVAN Inc. to help meet the growing demand for internet traffic in the Philippines.

Yokota was joined by several distinguished guests, including Aurora Province Vice Gov. Sid Pimentel Galban, and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation’s chief representative in Manila, Sagawa Hiroshi. National Telecommunications Commission director Imelda Walcien also attended, and Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda sent a congratulatory video message.

During his remarks, Yokota said that at a summit meeting in April, Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed to strengthen public-private partnerships in information and communication technology. Yokota also stressed the importance of cooperation from both national and local Philippine governments for the project’s success.