THE Municipality of Boljoon is following a neighboring town’s footsteps in launching a free wireless fidelity (wifi) hotspot in the town square.
Boljoon launched the wifi zone last Holy Week yet and even featured it in the video-sharing website YouTube.
Transactions with the Municipal Government have also been computerized.
Boljoon Budget Officer Ronald Villanueva, also in-charge of the town’s information technology (IT) needs, said the municipality was mentored by Argao, which was the first to launch a wifi zone in Cebu.
“Why should we be selfish?” said Villanueva of the initiative to create a hotspot in Boljoon.
The connection would only cost the Municipality P995 a month, but thousands of constituents can benefit from it.
Wider
Most wifi spots have a range limited to within 100 to 300 feet. In the town of Boljoon where there is access at the beach front and the Church area, the range is even wider.
Villanueva said the town set up a higher version of the wireless technology that has a range of 12 times more than the usual.
The Municipality also provided tarpaulins that the town square is a hotspot. There are tents and tables across the Church where residents, and domestic and foreign tourists can take advantage of the free Internet access.
Villanueva remembered seeing “war-driving” individuals passing through and searching for hotspots with their laptops and were surprised that it is available in Boljoon, 103 kilometers south of Cebu City. “War-drivers” are passers by trying to look for free wifi zones.
“Famous tourist spots like the Magellan’s Cross and the Basilica del Sto. Niño don’t even have wifi zones,” lamented Villanueva.
Preparations
He noted that most of those who take advantage of the one-month-old hotspot are travelers from the south and bikers.
“This is also in preparation for international tourists,” Villanueva told Sun.Star Cebu.
With the Nuestra Señora Virgen del Patrocinio Parish Church declared a National Cultural Treasure, Villanueva is assured that tourists will be flocking to the town especially when restoration of the Church is finished.
While the wifi spot is free, Boljoon Mayor Deogenes Derama provided a donation box for users.
Other innovations
IT innovations in Boljoon are not limited to the wifi spot.
Derama said that Boljoon was also a pilot area for the National Computer Center (NCC) electronic governance project.
It was Argao town though that first implemented the programs under the NCC, with the help of IT consultant Querubin Momongan who came from the private sector.
With Argao as its mentor, Boljoon also asked Momongan to be the town’s IT consultant.
Boljoon successfully implemented the Electronic Real Property Tax System (eRPTS) and the Electronic Business Permits and Licensing System (eBPLS).
“Tax collection has greatly increased because debt from decades ago can be detected in the computer, even those as long ago as in the 1970s,” said Derama. (JGA)
