THE Federation of International Cable TV Association of the Philippines (FICAP) has urged its Bicolano members to inter-connect and provide added valuable services to their subscribers, through the new technology.

        There are some of important issues discussed during the Federation’s general membership meeting which was held at Naga Regent Hotel last Sunday (February 24) with FICAP’s National Chair, Estrellita Juliano-Tamano as among the lecturers.

        A wife of erstwhile Senator Mamintal Tamano, the Mindanao-based sexagenarian trader who owns and manages three Cable-TV networks in Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat and Datu Sinsuat in Maguindanao, expressed optimism that cable TV operators here would-follow their advice like what others did in their area of operations “from Batanes to Jolo.”

        “Inter-connections or head-end sharing was launched just recently in Batangas as a pilot project initiated by FICAP involving five Cable TV companies who now enjoy the benefits of said strategy due to their rising profits and less operating expenses,” Juliano-Tamano explained, when interviewd by Bicol Mail.

        “At least, 15 other cable TV companies in the North have also decided to adopt the head-end sharing upon learning how effective it is, which is not only beneficial to operators but to subscribers as well,” she added.

        The advantages of added valuable services which small and medium cable TV operators are advised to introduce, such as: Cable Internet and voice over IP were thoroughly explained by other lecturers during the whole-day affair.

        During the meeting, Juliano-Tamano was tasked to provide update reports on several decided cases by Court of Appeals, DOS and NTC which stemmed from a string of cases handled by the NBI and other important issues.

        Cable TV operators from Camarines Sur who attended the affair was dominated by prominent businessmen from Rinconada, namely: Lawyer Fabian Mendez (Iriga City cable network) Ex-Cas. III Director Fred Perdon (Baao Turtle CATV), Ex-Mayor Diones Belza (Buhi Cable TV) and Prosecutor Roberto Jocom Jr. of Vision Cable TV, who is also FICAP’s corporate secretary.

        By next month, the FICAP will hold its annual International Cable TV Congress and Exhibit, slated to he held at Manila Hotel this coming March 13 to 14, 2008, according to Julaino-Tamano. FICAP was founded in 1999 and have more or less 800 members nationwide, it was learned.

        In closing, the articulate businesswoman who revealed that her father used to be in logging business during the 60’s and 70’s in Camarines Sur, particularly Calabanga and San Jose thanked the Bicolanos, “for the very warm reception and the best hospitality that I’ve ever experienced.”