“No one is left behind!”
As President Duterte’s marching order to connect the government, the businesses and the people to everybody, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), accelerated the roll-out “to provide connectivity to public places” through a simultaneous activation of the Free Wi-Fi For All–Free Public Internet Access Program sites recently.
“It is our hope to come up with ‘one digitized connected Philippines’ and the channel or the medium…to do that is through our program which is actually anchored to a particular enabling law that provides also the criteria as to which public places will be provided with a free wifi,” DICT Luzon Cluster lll Director Cherry Ortega said during the press conference last March 5.
The “Ceremonial Lighting,” being witnessed by the participating areas through a live video conference, was done simultaneous in Palawan, Albay, Isabela, Lanao del Sur, and Davao City. In the Province of Palawan, it was held in Ramon V. Mitra Jr. Sports Complex led by the DICT officials, UNDP and local government officials of the City of Puerto Princesa and of the Province.
Director Ortega stressed that in the context of inclusivity, “everybody should be given an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits of connectivity.”
Beneficiaries in Palawan
She also announced that at around 820 sites all over Palawan are chosen as beneficiaries for the Free Public Internet Access Program.
“You’ll be surprised that practically, the whole island of Palawan will be provided with DICT-UNDP project,” Ortega confirmed.
“Thank you for our partner in UNDP for making this project possible, in reaching out sa kasulok-sulukan ng Palawan in order to provide them connectivity, even in Kalayaan. In fact, sabi ko nga ‘Is this a misplaced?’ kasi dito sa mapa, parang biglang mayroong isang tuldok, ‘yun pala Kalayaan pala ‘yan,” she gladly announced.
In the City of Puerto Princesa, the beneficiaries are Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex, Puerto Princesa New City Hall, Sicsican Elementary School (ES), Tagumpay ES, and the far-flung sitio and barangays like Cabayugan ES, Sabang Elementary School also in Bgy. Cabayugan, Tagbarungis ES, Macarascas ES, Macarascas National High School (NHS), Buenavista NHS, Tagabinet ES, Tagabinet NHS, Tagabinet Barangay Hall, Tagnipa ES, Inagawan NHS-Annex, Inagawan NHS, and Inagawan ES.
She said that if the area is not connected to the main grid power, solar panels will be used to run the technology; but she told the media that majority of them will be powered with solar energy.
Ortega further stated that the technology of choice of DICT is the direct-to-internet VSAT (Very Small Aperture Technology) solutions because majority of the target sites is located in remote and isolated areas.
“This equipment will be deployed in areas where the local-commercial internet providers are not present because, it would not be economically visible for them to put in place this particular service.”
She stated that the bandwidth for the “Free Wi-Fi For All” is two megabits per second (2mbps) and can accommodated up to 50 connections at any given point in time and will have a range as far as 300 meters, although may depend on the users’ gadget.
The Department likewise assured the people that there are already in placed security measures to protect the users, especially the youth and the kids from accessing adult website or any sites that the content is contrary to the law.
When asked about the sustainability of the program, Director Ortega reiterated that the project is based on Free Public Internet Access Law signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last 2017.
“Since may enabling law naman ang connectivity through RA 10929, it’s going to be a nationwide commitment of the administration of whoever the leader is,” she explained.
She added that the partnership is initially good for one year but may be renewed for another three years.
“So, ‘We will cross the bridge’ after the three years, but basically, it is not going to be a project-based and who knows it will eventually come up as part of the operation of the DICT,” Ortega said.