The City of San Juan, in the Philippines, will serve as the pilot city for the rollout of the Free Wi-Fi for All Program of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
According to a recent press release, the initiative will rollout thirty-five (35) Internet hotspots with 400 Mbps bandwidth around the city.
Free Wi-Fi for All
Residents of San Juan can now avail of this. The initial phase of the rollout will cover the following:
- Public schools
- Hospitals
- Parks
- Other strategic areas within the city
DICT Sec. Gregorio Honasan II and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora led the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the collaboration and implementation of the program in the city.
Out of over a hundred total Wi-Fi sites marked throughout eighteen (18) barangays indicated in the partnership, three (3) of these sites are already operational at San Juan City Hall, San Juan Library, and San Juan Mini Park.
The Department is strengthening its efforts in the rollout of the program through partnerships with the Local Government Units (LGUs) such as San Juan.
Across the Philippines by 2022
Pursuant to RA 10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, the Department is looking forward to installing more Wi-Fi sites, not only in San Juan but in more cities and municipalities across the country in the coming years.
It aims to establish over 100,000 operational free Internet access sites all over the Philippines by 2022.
To demonstrate the speed of the connectivity offered by Free Wi-Fi for All, teachers from San Juan City Science High School tested the service by streaming their YouTube project.
The San Juan Mayor shared that all public places in the barangay will have free Wi-Fi access. These places are:
- Barangay halls
- Multi-purpose halls
- Basketball courts
- Barangay health centres
- Public schools
Child Online Safeguarding Polict
In connection with this, the Department is reportedly inviting all stakeholders to give their inputs, comments, and suggestions on the draft Child Online Safeguarding Policy (COSP) for the implementation of the Free Internet Access in Public Places Program.
The COSP is made in compliance with the Republic Act (RA) No. 10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act that mandates the DICT to “develop standards and mechanisms for the protection of children online” (Section 11, RA 10929).
The Policy provides guidelines for the protection of children and the young generation users of the Free Internet Access Program from all harms of the internet.
These harms include:
- Gambling
- Child pornography
- Child online sexual exploitation
The Free Internet Access in Public Places Program is an ongoing undertaking of the Department, which will establish infostructures nationwide to enable free internet access in the aforementioned public places.
The stakeholders are given fifteen (15) days to submit their inputs, comments and suggestions.