MANILA — The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has put in place measures to ensure its free Wi-Fi program is not used for illegal activities, a Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) official said Wednesday.
“So, it’s a very technical discussion but we’ll be putting in devices, we’ll be putting in censors to ensure that this network is not being used for illegal activities,” DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy said in a Malacañang press briefing.
Dy said there are censors that actually scan the dark web, as surface web, to know in advance if some data were hacked and being sold in the public or if there is child pornography emanating from the country, which will be then reported to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Philippine National Police (PNP).
“For example, if you use our free Wi-Fi sites, I’m telling you right now you can’t use it for child pornography et cetera. In fact, we’re going to the extra mile in order to make sure that you’re not misusing it,” he added.
Meanwhile, the DICT official said the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved the flagship Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project during its 18th meeting on Tuesday.
The PDIP, Dy said, is designed to boost broadband connectivity nationwide, particularly in remote areas. It is also going to strengthen cybersecurity.
During the press briefing, Dy said the government will be able to provide 772 free Wi-Fi sites concentrating in Regions XI and XIII in Mindanao.
The DICT official noted that the risks will not totally disappear, but “we have to put proper controls in place to mitigate that particular risk.”
“I would like to believe and based on our implementation, the free Wi-Fi program of the Republic of the Philippines and of DICT is actually secured and we’re trying to make it more secure with this particular Philippine Digital Infrastructure Project,” Dy said.
Dy further noted that while the technology is secure now, there is still a need to “transition to more secure technologies in the future.” (PND)
