THE Department of Information and Technology (DICT) has started installing free public internet access in Barangay Matina, Biao as part of its Pipol Konek-Free Wi-Fi Internet Access in Public Places Project in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a DICT official said.
DICT Mindanao Cluster 3 director Erlito Tancontian said Matina Biao is the first far-flung barangay in Davao City to be installed with free public access.
Based on information furnished to SunStar Davao, there are 58 barangays in Calinan, Toril, Marilog, Baguio District, Paquibato District and Buhangin that are identified by the City Government to be installed with public Wi-Fi.
The identified areas in Toril are Atan-awe, Baracatan, Bato, Bayabas, Catigan, Daliaon plantation, Eden, Kilate, Sibulan, Tagluno, Tagurano, Tibuloy, and Tungkalan.
In Marilog District, free internet access will be installed in barangays Baganihan, Bantol, Buda, Dalag, Datu Salumay, Gumitan, Magsaysay, Malamba, Marilog Proper, Salaysay, Suawan, and Tamugan.
In Paquibato District, it will be established in barangays Colosas, Fatima, Lumiad, Mabuhay, Malabog, Mapula, Panalum, Pandaitan, Paquibato Proper, Paradise Embac, Salapawan, Sumimao, Tapak.
Other sites to be rolled out with free internet will be barangays Cadalian, Carmen, Gumalang, Tambobong, Tawan-Tawan in Baguio District; Cawayan, Dacudao, Dalagdag, Dominga, Inayangan, Lamanan, Lampianao, Megkawayan, Saloy, Sirib, Tamayong in Calinan; Manuel Guianga, Matina Biao, Talandang in Tugbok District; and Tigatto in Buhangin.
"Naidentify na sa City Government nga mao nay priority nga butangan. These are remote areas within the barangays (The city government has prioritized these remote barangays to be installed with free public internet access)," he said.
He said public internet access will range from five to 10 megabits per second (mbps) depending sa locations and the size population within that public place.
He said this will also be part of the 400 areas in Davao Region and Soccsksargen that will be rolled out with free public wifi access, which the agency targets to be implemented within the first quarter of the year.
On March 27, 2019, DICT and UNDP signed a partnership to expedite the rolling out of the free Wi-Fi access as mandated by the Republic Act 10929 or the Free Public Internet Access in Public Places.
Under the law, DICT will put up free Wi-Fi access in public spaces, particularly "national and local government offices, public basic education institutions, state universities, and colleges, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) technology institutions, public hospitals, health centers, and rural health units, public parks, plazas, libraries, and barangay reading centers, public airports and seaports, and public transport terminals."
Tancontian said the public Wi-Fi access in these barangays will be installed in their respective barangay halls.
UNDP is said to have contracted the Australian satellite provider Speedcast and Manila-based Philippine Communications Satellite Corporation to "install, operate and maintain free public internet service for 3,000 remote sites all over the Philippines."
The agency said the project "aims to bridge the digital divide by connecting Filipinos from far-flung, at-risk and vulnerable areas across the country."