PH CONSULATE, PTIC SILICON VALLEY TAKE PART IN OPEN RADIO ACCESS NETWORK (RAN) ROUNDTABLE
(Asia Open RAN Academy Philippines photo)
SAN FRANCISCO, USA – The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Silicon Valley welcomed the U.S. study tour delegates from the Asia Open Radio Access Network Academy (AORA) from the Philippines and India on 6 April 2024 at Dynamico Space, Philippine Center in San Francisco.
The AORA is supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). An Open RAN Interoperability Laboratory in the Philippines is being developed to serve the Indo-Pacific Region.
Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona and Trade Commissioner Celynne Layug participated in a roundtable discussion that included Philippines-based participants, led by AORA Chair Vincent Atienza.
The discussion focused on how the Open RAN technology and the AORA could foster the development of the digital workforce and talent in the region, enhance internet security and grow the digital economy through closer collaboration, increased digital access, connectivity and inclusion.
The Philippine delegation included Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Assistant Secretary Philip Varilla and AORA officers Ms. Maria Corazon Akol, Dr. Alvin Marcelo, Mr. Arvin Siena, Dr. Jaybie de Guzman, Ms. Antonette Torres, and Mr. Richard Matias.
AORA India Co-Creator Dr. Kote Kondepu also took part in the tour, as well as USAID officials and consultants, including Dr. Maria Beebe from the International Development Group (IDG)/Indo-Pacific Opportunity Project (IPOP), Ms. Meghan Lefeverand, and Ms. Imelda Lamboon, USAID-BEACON Infrastructure Lead. Mr. Hameedullah Safi and Mr. Justin Poulin from IDG also attended the roundtable.
From the community, Dr. Richard Dasher, Director of the US-Asia Technology Management Center at Stanford University, and Ms. Christina Laskowski and Ms. Katrina Montinola of the non-profit Science and Technology Advisory Council Silicon Valley (STAC-SV), also provided support to the roundtable. END