MALASIQUI: A total of 2,275 Free Wi-Fi for All sites have been established by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in the Ilocos Region since 2022 under the Free Public Internet Access Program (FPIAP). DICT Ilocos regional director June Vincent Manuel Gaudan, during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum hosted by the Philippine Information Agency Ilocos on Tuesday, said the sites are located in 815 public places all over the region.
According to Philippines News Agency, in 2022, 148 sites were established and were followed by 1,129 sites in 2023 and 998 sites from Jan. 1 to Nov. 18 this year. The program aims to provide zero-cost internet access in public spaces nationwide, covering convergence points such as government offices, public basic education institutions, public hospitals, medical care facilities, plazas, and transport terminals.
Gaudan assured the public that the Wi-Fi sites are safe to use. “These are safe and secured. In DICT, in everything that we do, cybersecurit
y is a priority. It is not perfect as sometimes the sites are down but we can assure that no data is being collected,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gaudan mentioned that personnel from 82 of the 125 local government units (LGUs) in the region are undergoing training for the adoption of the electronic Local Government Unit (eLGU) system. eLGU is a software solution developed by DICT to improve the delivery of public service and increase access to government information.
The system aims to improve the assessment, billing, and collection of real property and business taxes, increase public access to information and services, promote transparency in government transactions, build the capability of LGU personnel to operate and maintain applications systems, and institutionalize ICT use in LGUs. The DICT has partnered with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) to implement the eLGU system. “By 2026, we target that all LGUs in the region are using eLGU,” he said.
