PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan (PIA)—The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has completed the 221 free wifi hubs in 83 locations in Palawan. During the Free WIFI FOR ALL Ceremonial Launching recently in Puerto Princesa City, Director Cheryl Ortega, DICT Regional Director for MIMAROPA and CALABARZON said that the DICT is the lead agency in providing free internet service in public places to promote knowledge building among citizens and to enable everyone to participate in the nation's digital transformation.

She said that the DICT is dedicated to the development of structures that would ensure the availability and accessibility of reliable and secure internet access. She stressed also that they will continue to set up free wifi hotspots for public use in various strategic areas regionwide, specifically, in Geographically Isolated Disadvantages Areas or GIDA areas. 

“In fact, our Free WiFi For All Program has benefited approximately 1,100,000 wifi users in the region in 2022 alone and connected the most remote islands such as Kalayaan [island], Mangsee [island], in Palawan and Ambil in Occidental Mindoro,” she said.

Ortega assured that in 2023 the province of Palawan will get a lion's share in the DICT’s priority for free wifi deployment for telemedicine, the SUCs, and GIDA areas.  She said that there also plans to connect key tourism spot in the province to the DICT free wifi for all programs.  (MCE/PIA MIMAROPA)

Photo above:  The Free WI-FI For All Ceremonial Launching at the Amphitheatre of Palawan State University, Puerto Princesa City was spearheaded by Director Cheryl Ortega, DICT Regional Director for MIMAROPA and CALABARZON together with the representatives from LGU- Palawan, LGU- Puerto Princesa City, SUCS, DepEd, and Western Command. (Photo by Mike Escote, PIA Palawan)