The Department of Information and Communications Technology – Luzon Cluster 1 (LC1) activated new Free Wi-Fi for All Internet access points across various locations in Pangasinan on July 23, 2021.
The event was graced by the presence of DICT Secretary Gregorio “Gringo” B. Honasan II, Pangasinan Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino III, Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo N. Bataoil, as well as other DICT officials.
“Malaki ang papel ng connectivity sa delivery ng basic needs which are food, clothing, shelter, education, health services at lalo na ng access to data,” said Secretary Honasan who travelled all the way from Metro Manila despite the inclement weather to attend the event.
“Kailangan ang connectivity para makakuha tayo ng information—timely, accurate and complete information that will allow our people to make informed, rational, intelligent and long-term decisions,” he added.
The free Internet access points were deployed in the following locations: Lingayen District Hospital, Pangasinan State University (PSU)-Lingayen, PSU-Open University and TESDA Lingayen.
As of July 1, 2021, there are now 142 operational Free Wi-Fi for All sites in Pangasinan province, with the majority of them located in state universities and colleges (SUCs).
Moreover, from 2020 to 2021, the DICT managed to establish Free Wi-Fi for All hotspots in seven (7) COVID-19 facilities and thirty (30) other locations across six (6) districts in the province of Pangasinan.
“Thank you very much for choosing the province of Pangasinan to launch Free Wi-Fi for All. Malaking tulong po ito sa panahon na dinadanas natin na maraming pagsubok sa ease of doing business, the ease of connecting to people, and the ease of informing the people of Pangasinan,” Governor Espino III asserted.
Mayor Bataoil of Lingayen, the capital of the province of Pangasinan, also expressed his gratitude to Secretary Honasan for the initiative.
The DICT expects to deploy more sites for the rest of the year as part of the intensified rollout of the project, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (or GIDA sites).
The Free Wi-Fi for All Program is one of the DICT’s flagship programs that aims to provide free internet access in public places nationwide, pursuant to Republic Act 10929 also known as the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act.
As of July 1, 2021, the Free Wi-Fi for All program had established a total of 10,311 sites nationwide. A significant number of these sites were activated during Honasan’s term as ICT Secretary.
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