Palawan’s 23 municipalities and Puerto Princesa City now have internet connectivity under the Free WiFi For All Program, according to Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)-Palawan Provincial Office.
“When it comes to municipalities, 100 percent na po, mayroon na tayong free WiFi for all sa mga municipalities, and including na rin po diyan ‘yong Puerto Princesa City. Sa 24 LGUs is available na po yong ating free WiFi For All Program. Number one na priority talaga ng free WiFi For All Program is i-connect yong mga nasa Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA),” said DICT-Palawan Provincial Officer Virgo Pinangay.
The Free WiFi services have been installed in municipal halls, barangay halls, schools, and hospitals for public use, he added.
Engr. Jeanette Ripalda, Engineer II of the Free WiFi For All program, stated that outdated Free WiFi equipment in island municipalities, including Agutaya, Balabac, Busuanga, Cagayancillo, Coron, Culion, Dumaran, Linapacan, and Magsaysay, will be replaced and restored by the end of 2024.
Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) will also receive additional Free WiFi technology in 2025, supplementing its existing internet connectivity, Ripalda said.
Meanwhile, the internet connection for 115 WiFi In Tourist Spots (WITS), which expired in July 2024 due to the lapse of the service contract, is expected to be restored by the first quarter of 2025. The renewal of the service contract has already been approved, according to Pinangay.
The initiative is part of the government’s effort to enhance digital connectivity, especially in remote and underserved areas of the province. (PIA)
