THE entire Provincial Capitol Building including the lagoon in Bacolod City will become a free Wi-Fi zone soon, the top official of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)-Negros Occidental said.
Romeo Tome, provincial officer of DICT-Negros Occidental, said they already installed one access point inside the building.
Tome said two more access points are up for installation and operation this year.
"Another one access point will be installed at the Capitol compound which will cater to the offices and their clients while the one will have an effectivity range covering the lagoon premise," he added.
On October 24, the DICT launched its Free Wi-Fi for All Program at its Negros Occidental Provincial Office in Bacolod City.
This was the second site launched in the province, next to that in San Enrique last month.
In 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 10929, or the “Free Internet Access in Public Places Act,” mainly aimed at promoting knowledge-building among citizens and enable them to participate in the evolving information and communication age.
Under the law, free internet is provided at access points such as national and local government offices, public basic education institutions, state universities and colleges, technology institutions, public hospitals, health centers, rural health units, public parks, plazas, libraries, barangay reading centers, public airports and seaports, and public transport terminals.
From People Connect program, it was changed to Free Wi-Fi for All: Free Public Internet Access program just last July under the new secretary of the agency, former senator Gregorio Honasan.
In Negros Occidental, the free Wi-Fi is up for launching among other LGUs such as E.B. Magalona, Pulupandan, Ilog, Murcia, Candoni, Moises Padilla, La Castellana, Hinigaran, and Binalbagan.
Tome earlier said these LGUs already have the equipment but they still lack bandwidth. The launching in these localities is targeted this year.
Since the project covers first to sixth class municipalities in the country, other recipient-LGUs in the province are Valladolid, Hinoba-an, Isabela, Manapla, Toboso, Salvador Benedicto, Cauayan, Calatrava, and Pontevedra.
For the Capitol, the agency is looking at faster and more efficient delivery of government services once the free Wi-Fi access starts.
Tome said a survey showed that if the internet connectivity increases, the gross domestic product growth of an area also increases.
The socio-economic activities get boost because of easy and faster internet connection, he added.