Manila: Vital public facilities should be given priority in the government plan to provide free WiFi services to the public, an official said.
While lauding an announcement from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to provide WiFi coverage to much of the country by 2016 through the “Free WiFi internet Access in Public Places initiative,” Senator Ralph Recto said hospitals, airports and Metro Manila’s elevated train service must be given importance in this endeavour for obvious reasons.
Communication is important for families whose loved ones are admitted in hospitals, he stressed.
“In major government hospitals (having WiFi facility) is important so that the sick and those taking care or treat them can have a lifeline they can use to call a friend. If you’re a son of an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) and you would like to get in touch with your father because your mom has been stricken ill, then you can do it within the hospital premises,” he said.
WiFi is a general term used to refer to high frequency local area network, a standardised technology that allows individuals to communicate with each other through the use of gadgets like mobile phones, tablets, PCs and laptops.
Public WiFi allows people to exchange email, send data or text and video chat with each other for free.
Recto, who sponsored the passage of the programme’s P1.4 billion (Dh113 million) funding in the 2015 national budget, said that under the original plan, WiFi access will be set up in selected airports, hospitals, public schools, plazas, seaports, government offices and other public places.
Free WiFi access is expected to “democratise” access and exchange of information, allowing more people to connect with each other through high-speed internet for free.
According to DOST secretary Mario Montejo, free WiFi internet access in public places aims to enable Filipinos to harness the vast potential and benefits of having consistent internet connectivity to improve their lives and assist in bringing the country toward progress.”
Montejos said the project’s long-term targets are the establishment of free internet access points in 967 3rd to 6th class towns and Metro Manila and “points of presence” in six points in Luzon, four in Visayas, and four Mindanao cities.
In all, there will be 9,706 rural links in unserved and underserved areas.
The six initial sites chosen by the DOST in Metro Manila are in Quezon City and Manila.
The first pilot site in Quezon City Circle was activated last week.
