THIS SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE reports about three major sectors including the Social Sector, the Economic Sector and Infrastructure and Utilities Sector. The Infrastructure and Utilities Sector consists of the following sub-sectors: transportation, water supply, power services, and communication. This article covers the Communication Sub-Sector.
The forms of communication available in the municipality include telecommunication services and facilities, broadcast media and print media. These provide facility of communication, exchange of ideas and foster awareness and consciousness on issues affecting their daily lives.
EXISTING SITUATION
Telecommunication Services and Facilities
Telecommunication services and facilities include telephone, telex, telegraphic transfer, postal services and other telecommunication services.
Telephone Services
Digital Telecommunication Philippines, Incorporated is the franchise holder of the telephone services and facilities in the municipality. The management office is in Barangay Poblacion B and the service areas include Barangay Poblacion A to E, Namuco, Itlugan, Namunga, Maalas-as, Masaya, San Ignacio, Bagong Pook, San Carlos, San Roque, Quilib, Tiquiwan and Sambat in Baybayin. Type of system is NEAXX GIE, with switching facilities and a capacity of 3,163 lines.
The current existing subscribers are 1,655 lines. There are about 1,508 lines still available for subscription.
Considering the total number of households of 15,636, this indicates only about 9.64% are subscribing to said telephone service franchised.
Telegraph Services
Lone personnel, the telegraph operator manages the telegraph office of the Bureau of Telecommunication in the municipality. The Telecommunications Office share office space with the postal service. The volume of messages sent and received are as follows:
Volume of Messages Sent and Received by the Telegraph Office: 1997, 1998 and 1999
1997
- Telegram Sent - 966
- Telegram Received - 716
- Telegram Received - 507
- Relay Telegram - 333
- Free Telegram Filed - 203
- Received Telegram Filed - 139
- Telegram Received - 436
- Relay Telegram - 342
- Free Telegram Filed - 162
- Received Telegram Filed - 109
It can be noted that volume of messages transacted is on a decreasing pattern. The population, due to availability of land line phones and mobile phones, widely prefer to use this mode pf communication. Hence, use of telegraph facilities was minimal.
Postal Services
The local post office staffed by 10 people is rendering postal services. It is headed by a postmaster, and is being assisted by one postman teller, one dispatching clerk and seven (7) letter carriers.
The Postal Office is within the town hall building. Facilities include only one mailbox and seven (7) motorcycles considered private since they are owned by the letter carriers.
The volume of letter dispatched and received by the office from 1997 to 1999 are as follows:
Volume of Letter Dispatched/Received at the Postal Office: 1997, 1998 and 1999
1997
- Dispatched - 197,901
- Registered Mail - 11,003
- Special Delivery - 38,245
- Air Mail - 68,949
- Priority Mail - 27,670
- Ordinary Mail - 48,534
- Express Mail - 3,500
- Received - 247,203
- Registered Mail - 22,984
- Special Delivery - 40,246
- Air Mail - 73,469
- Priority Mail - 30,204
- Ordinary Mail - 78,200
- Express Mail - 1,600
- Parcels - 500
- Dispatched - 225,704
- Registered Mail - 17,323
- Special Delivery - 43,500
- Air Mail - 74,200
- Priority Mail - 32,645
- Ordinary Mail - 52,836
- Express Mail - 5,200
- Received - 286,761
- Registered Mail - 26,748
- Special Delivery - 48,532
- Air Mail - 81,946
- Priority Mail - 40,328
- Ordinary Mail - 83,546
- Express Mail - 4,987
- Parcels - 674
- Dispatched - 241,527
- Registered Mail - 18,535
- Special Delivery - 45,300
- Air Mail - 76,900
- Priority Mail - 35,745
- Ordinary Mail - 58,847
- Express Mail - 6,200
- Received - 300,471
- Registered Mail - 28,849
- Special Delivery - 50,634
- Air Mail - 85,942
- Priority Mail - 44,328
- Ordinary Mail - 84,634
- Express Mail - 5,430
- Parcels - 654
It can be noted that communication through letters is still prevalent in the municipality. All types of postal services in terms of letter dispatched and received are on an increasing trend.
With seven (7) letter carriers, the permanent letter carrier to population ratio is one letter carrier for every 11,731 population. This is way below the standard of 1 letter carrier per 5,000 population.
Other Telecommunication Services and Facilities
Other telecommunication services and facilities are public calling station, and private pay phone stations. There are about ten (10) of this telephone calling stations/booths scattered in strategic location in the Poblacion Barangays, and other adjacent barangays.
There are 2 in Barangay Poblacion B; 1 in Barangay Poblacion C; 2 in Barangay Poblacion D; 1 in Barangay Poblacion E; 1 in San Ignacio; 1 in Maalas-as and 2 in Namunga. These are operated and owned by DIGITEL, PLDT and Liberty Telephone, Inc.
There are also cell sites that service the mobile cellphones in the area. These cell sites were being operated and managed by mobile phone franchisees like SMART Communication Inc. and GLOBE Telecom, Inc.
There are private fax machines that offer fax services both local and international. Email communication through Internet services of privately owned computers are also available.
Broadcast Media
There are no broadcast media stations in the municipality. However, all broadcast stations in Metro Manila, Batangas City, Lucena City and Lipa City can be hooked up and heard in the municipality.
The same is true for all television stations in Metro Manila. They can all be simulcast and seen in the municipality.
For more choices of TV stations and better quality viewing, cable television services is also available. The Rosario Batangas Cable TV Services, Inc. at Barangay Namunga is the cable television service provider. It occupies 459 square meters of land. Area of coverage includes Bagong Pook, Namunga, Itlugan and Quilib. It has about 500 subscribers.
Print Media
Most newspapers, magazine, tabloids and printed materials for the general public consumption is available in the municipality. National newspapers such as Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Philippine Star and Times Journal are available daily from Metro Manila. These media make the citizenry of Rosario aware and conscious of what is happening around them by having access to national and international news.
DEVELOPMENT NEEDS
In all these forms of communication, only telephone services and postal services need to be made accessible to the population. With the standard of 1 telephone connection per 5 households, there is a current need for a total of 3,127 telephone connections.
Considering, the present number of 1,655 DIGITEL subscribers, there is an additional current need for 1,472 lines. The available DIGITEL lines are more than adequate. Capacity to pay of each household for telephone connection is the challenge to be considered in the economics base sectors of the plan.
With the projected number of households reaching 20,080 by year 2010, there should be a total of 4,016 telephone connections by then. With the present subscribers of 1,655, future requirement is 2,361 connections.
In terms of postal services, the increasing volume of messages and letters being transacted show that it is useful to the population. In fact, a large portion of the population take advantage of these services. Consequently, there is a need to improve their services, as well as to make these services more accessible to the people.
Improvement in terms of office space and equipment must be considered. Equipment and facilities such as mail distribution centers, postal stations/circuits, money order machine and stamping machine (meter) and most specially mail transport vehicles must be given priority.
These facilities should be acquired in good, updated and state-of-the-art quality to sustain the trust and confidence of the clientele: the general public.
In terms of letter carrier to population, the prevent ratio of 1:11,731 which falls short of the standard one letter carrier per 5,000 population. Thus, currently the required number of letter- carriers should be 16, thus there is shortage of 9 letter carriers. Considering the projected population up to year 2010, the projected number of letter carriers is 21 people. With the current 7 letter carriers, a total of 14 more letter carriers are needed by year 2010. Hiring can be staggered within the planning period attaining a total of 21 letter carrier by year 2010.
Mail transport vehicle should be correspondingly improved. One vehicle per letter carrier must be provided. The postal office must prioritize acquisition of vehicle for use of the postal letter carriers. These will further improve the quality of postal services to the population.
Reference
Municipal Land Use Committee and the Office of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator (June 2000), Comprehensive Land Use Plan of Rosario, Batangas for Planning Period: 2000-2010, Municipality of Rosario, Batangas, Philippines
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