MANILA — DITO Telecommunity said on Monday it received about 30,000 applications for its newest home broadband service less than a month since it introduced the product.

During the formal launch of DITO’s Home Unli 5G Wifi, the telco’s Chief Commercial Officer, Evelyn Jimenez, said they were overwhelmed by the volume of orders. But she said they hoped to soon address the backlogs that ensued.

“We had to pivot a lot of our processes. It’s not easy but we are getting there. There has to be a lot of automation that we still need to do but together with our consumers and together with the whole DITO commercial team, I hope we’re able to address everything,” said Jimenez.

DITO aims to have up to 50,000 home broadband subscribers by the end of the year.

The telco also formally launched its mobile FLEXplans which customers could avail of for as low as P588 per month.

DITO Chief Administrative Officer Adel Tamano believes the new products will help increase the company’s market share.

“Yung SIM registration actually was a coming-out party. Nakita natin na, after all was said and done, 8 percent of the market is already DITO. So now with these aggressive plans, we are very confident that our numbers would keep going up because we are offering a superior product na affordable for everyone,” he said.

• DITO Telecommunity hopes to break even by 2025

Meanwhile, DITO said it does not expect to be affected by proposals to ban Chinese companies from operating in the Philippines despite being partly owned by Chinese state-owned telecommunication firm, China Telecom.

Speaking with media, Tamano reiterated that they are a Filipino company.

“We’ve faced this issue many times. In fact, when our franchise was approved, at that time the requirement was (to be) a Filipino company and we continue to be a Filipino company,” Tamano told ABS-CBN News at the sidelines of a product launch event.

Talks of boycotting Chinese companies and products were pitched by some Philippine senators in response to China’s alleged hostile acts in the West Philippine Sea.

On August 5, a Chinese coast guard vessel intercepted and blasted water cannons at Philippine Coast Guard boats heading to Ayungin Shoal to deliver food and other supplies to military troops stationed on BRP Sierra Madre.

• 'China used water cannon on indigenous boat carrying supplies'

Following the incident, Sen. Risa Hontiveros sought to ban a Chinese state-owned construction company participating in reclamation activities in Manila Bay.

Meanwhile, Sen. Raffy Tulfo said transmitters owned by Chinese companies positioned inside military camps should be removed for the sake of national security. He added that China-made gadgets should no longer be used, especially by government agencies.

• Senators condemn China's 'bullying' in Ayungin Shoal

But Tamano said senators have nothing to worry about in the case of DITO.

• China-backed DITO allowed to install cell sites inside military camps: Lorenzana

“Hopefully, we can have the opportunity to talk to our good senators and explain to them why these concerns about, for example, spying or other things, were already addressed when our franchise was approved. We’re happy to explain and reassure our stakeholders,” he said.

DITO was chosen as the third major telco player following a rigorous selection process.

In May, Dito Telecommunity also renewed its $1.175 billion loan provided by the Bank of China and the China Minsheng Banking Corp.

• DITO Telecommunity renews $1.175 billion loan with Chinese banks