TO ENHANCE digital connectivity within Cebu City Hall premises, the City Government broke ground on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, the free public Wi-Fi outdoor access point at Plaza Sugbo.
Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia led the installation ceremony on Monday; he was joined by City Councilors Jaypee Labella, Joel Garganera, Francis Esparis, Jerry Guardo, Pastor Jun Alcover, and various department heads from City Hall.
Garcia said he observed that a lot of students use the public park as a practice area for dance persentations among others, which prompted him to install outdoor access points for free public Wi-Fi.
Among his aspirations was for each barangay in the City to have installed free public Wi-Fi access points.
“Especially for your youth to have free access to information through the internet, and we are starting with free Wi-Fi,” said Garcia during a press conference on Monday.
He added that the City Government is also planning to install outdoor access points for free public Wi-Fi at the Plaza Independencia, another large area for public recreation.
“For now we are working on two (access points) as of the moment, but our target is all barangays,” said Garcia.
The project has a budget allocation of over P3.9 million and is expected to be completed within 90 calendar days, with Trend and Technologies as the contractor.
Its implementation, originally set for July 2024, was postponed due to concerns over the pricing of mobilization and demobilization charges, which needed to be resolved by Councilor Jerry Guardo as the project proponent.
On July 21, Guardo introduced a resolution requesting Mayor Garcia to sign an agreement with the contractor to proceed with the project.
The council argued that the project’s P345,567,000 allocation for mobilization and demobilization was excessive, considering the initial request for mobilization was only P30,000.
Aside from installing public Wi-Fi access, Trends and Technologies Inc. will also furnish and supply all necessary personnel, materials, equipment, and facilities, such as bunkhouses, barracks, temporary fences, and temporary electrical facilities, among others, based on the approved Program of works and estimates.
Four monopoles will be installed at the Plaza Sugbo, while three monopoles will be placed at the Plaza Independencia.
The monopoles will provide access points, and with four of them, over 1,000 users will be accommodated without interference due to the short wavelength at Plaza Sugbo. / EHP