President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the Government Satellite Network, which would allow the government to reach far-flung areas in the country, an official said on Wednesday.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar said Duterte gave his nod during the 20th Cabinet meeting in Malacanang on Tuesday.

"The Government Satellite Network (GSN) can transmit government video, image, audio and data content to the islands and hinterlands of the Philippines and the rest of world using advance satellite and IPTV ( Internet Protoccol Television) technology," he said.

The government satellite network will also provide "two-way or multiple 4K tele-conference communication, internet delivery capability and multiple TV channels," Andanar added.

He said the government satellite network can be rolled out in 42,000 barangay halls and all PCOO-attached agencies nationwide in six months once all the necessary legal work and other bidding matters are ironed out.

The government satellite network, which will be implemented in 2018, is a project of the PCOO. Celerina Monte/DMS