CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — With the goal to provide connectivity in the country, the Department of Information and Communications Technology Region 7 (DICT-7) announced that there are already 1,097 free secured Wi-Fi connections in public areas in Central Visayas.
During the ‘Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas,’ DICT-7 assistant regional director Ramil Jeff N. Taboso disclosed that their free public Wi-Fi has connected at least 233,048 unique users in the region, including schools and government offices.
Of the total, 460 of them are in Cebu, 330 in Bohol, 232 in Negros Oriental, and 75 in Siquijor.
DICT-7 also provided internet connectivity during the ‘Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair’ conducted in Siquijor, and in Dalaguete, Alegria, and Naga City in Cebu.
The free public Wi-Fi has reached remote areas or those in the Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) sites through the Provision of Internet Connectivity Services (PICS) project.
“Ang Region 7, naa jud niya siya’y gipang-install na mga access points, Starlink, mga other connectivity nga gi-install didto (sa remote areas),” Taboso said.
(In Region 7, we have installed access points, Starlink, and other connectivity in the remote areas.)
Engr. Gem Albert de la Cruz from the Technical Operations Division of DICT-7, who handles the ‘Free WiFi for All’ project, said the number of areas installed with free connectivity is limited, based on the department’s availability of funds.
Taboso explained that only 30 percent of DICT’s total P2.5 billion budget for the free WiFi project will be distributed to regional offices in the country.
“So gamay nalang jud ang maabot diri sa atoa sa regional office. Then dili ra man na sa operations, naa man sab na sa mga subscription, mga office supplies,” Taboso said.
(So there is only a little amount left that we will get at the regional office, and this will also be used for operations, subscriptions, office supplies.)
De la Cruz said they are partnering with local government units (LGUs) to connect remote communities.
“So we are partnering with the LGU kung asa ang wala namo. We are partnering with them, sila pud mo-extend,” De la Cruz said.
(So we are partnering with the LGUs. They will provide whatever we lack so we can extend the project.)
Another potential impact of putting up free WiFi in public places is that it invites telecommunication companies (telcos) or any ISP providers to build networks in particular areas.(JJT/PIA 7 Cebu)
