The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) inaugurated 163 Internet hotspots under its Free Wi-Fi for All Program during a province-wide launching event in Nueva Ecija recently.
Most of the newly activated free Wi-Fi sites are located in the cities of Cabanatuan and Palayan, while the rest were built in various locations across the province.
“Internet connectivity is an important resource for life in the new normal. As the country continues to resolve the problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Internet connectivity is a vital solution for the continuation of our work, education, communication, and participation in public life,” Secretary Gregorio “Gringo” B. Honasan II said in a statement.
“However, Internet connectivity remains a major challenge in remote areas, particularly in our rural locations and the countryside. Therefore, in response to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s directive to provide free Internet connectivity in the country, the DICT has further strengthened the implementation of our Free Wi-Fi for All Program,” he added.
The initiative was spearheaded by the DICT’s Luzon Cluster 2, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Nueva Ecija.
Honasan highlighted DICT’s efforts to expand the implementation of its of the free Internet program and the necessity of reaching even the most geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
“Connectivity is a very important aspect of our lives, and because of this, we aim to connect the smallest, the poorest, and the farthest locations in the country to the Internet,” he said.
“When we succeed in doing so, those locations will be the starting point of economic activity. Just like a railroad, it’s the connected economic activity on both sides that will give us prosperity,” he added.