More than 30 COVID-19 monitoring and control centres have been connected by internet through the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) Free Wi-Fi for All Program.
These facilities include designated quarantine areas, lodging for front line workers and emergency operations centres.
Apart from this latest initiative, there are currently free Wi-Fi services in five accredited COVID-19 testing centres across the country.
The connectivity that the Free Wi-Fi for All Program provides will ensure rapid data gathering and exchange from and between these facilities.
The connectivity also serves another personal and personnel function. It affords frontline workers and patients the opportunity to stay in touch with family to let them know of their situation and progress.
ICT Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II said, “The DICT is committed to responding to the challenge that this pandemic has brought. Now, more than ever, connecting the Filipino to the Internet, especially those fighting in the frontlines of this war, has become an important task – crucial to aid communication between these facilities and help our medical professionals and other front liners stay connected with their loved ones.”
The Department of Information and Communications Technology is part 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.
The updated lists of sites covered by the program can be accessed at freepublicwifi.gov.ph – the Free Wi-Fi for All website.
DICT is also working with partners to ease the effects of quarantine and lockdown measures that the pandemic has necessitated.
Free eBooks and other educational content designed for children can now be accessed under the eEdu-Skills Segment of the Tech4ED project.
The educational materials were sourced from Let’s Read – Asia’s free digital library for Children and uploaded to the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) Tech4ED platform to continually boost learning beyond the classroom.
Creating a Tech4ED account at www.tech4ed.gov.ph allows unlimited access to the materials.
The material can be read online or downloaded for offline consumption. The platform allows for content to be automatically translated into different languages, both foreign (English, Mandarin, Japanese, etc.) and local (Tagalog, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, etc.).
The materials include a Covibook that helps children, parents and educators to learn more about the pandemic and facilitate a healthy discussion around it.