Free Wi-Fi hotspots in new COVID-19 quarantine centers in Metro Manila have been installed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). These are located at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila, Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) and World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) in Pasay City.
These quarantine centers serve as the location to isolate suspected cases of COVID-19 that hospitals are unable to accommodate. With the free internet connectivity, as a result, this will allow health workers to submit their situation reports online.
Further, having the internet will also alleviate fear and distress among frontliners and patients by allowing them to keep in-touch with their families and loved ones. Through the DICT’s Free Wi-Fi for All Program, Filipinos can now stay connected whilst in isolation.
The DICT, through its regional clusters, have also provided free Wi-Fi to quarantine centers in several regions throughout the country.
For Luzon, quarantine centers with free Wi-Fi include Dagupan City Astrodome in Pangasinan, New Clark City – Athletes Village in Capas, Tarlac; and City Rest Drive Inn in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.
Sacred Heart School for Boys in Cebu City in Visayas and Ateneo de Zamboanga – Lantaka Campus in Zamboanga City in Mindanao are also Internet-connected through the Free Wi-Fi for All Program.
Pursuant to President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to the DICT as member of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), the Free Wi-Fi for All Program aims to accelerate the Philippine government’s efforts in enhancing Internet accessibility during the COVID-19 crisis.
To date, the DICT has installed free Wi-Fi hotspots in more than 30 COVID-19 monitoring and control centers, as well as in five COVID-19 testing centers nationwide. Connectivity at these locations is expected to assist in the exchange of information during this critical time.
For the updated lists of sites covered by the program, visit the Free Wi-Fi for All website at freepublicwifi.gov.ph
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Stay updated with news and information from the Department of Information and Communications Technology by visiting their website at https://dict.gov.ph.
