The government has released an additional P3 billion to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to sustain the implementation of the Free Public Internet Access Program (FPIAP) nationwide.
Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman approved the release of P3.681 billion to fund the free Wi-Fi program nationwide.
“Our free Wi-Fi Program is fully underway. By approving this additional budget within our calibrated fiscal program, we reaffirm our commitment to prioritizing inclusive and accessible internet for everyone,” Pangandaman said.
“"As mandated by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., we will ensure that every citizen, no matter where they are in the Philippines, will benefit from our digital transformation initiatives,” she added.
This budget will benefit a total of 13,462 access point (AP) sites in various locations nationwide.
Part of the FPIAP is the building and maintaining of ICT infrastructure such as towers, data centers, and internet connections.
It also aims to maintain connectivity in public areas like schools, libraries, parks, and transportation hubs to provide Filipinos with internet services for education, work, and daily life activities.
“We understand that this is truly necessary for our fellow citizens. With the budget released, we are hopeful that the DICT can proceed swiftly with the fund disbursement and expedite the program's implementation,” the DBM chief stated.
The additional fund will be chargeable against the special account in the general fund - Free Public Internet Access Fund for 2024.
For this year, the government has allocated P2.5 billion for the FPIAF, which is expected to be fully obligated this month.