Davao councilor lauds public Wi-Fi

DAVAO City Council information and technology chair Councilor Joanne Bonguyan-Quilos welcomed the approved free public wifi signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, August 2.

Bonguyan-Quilos said the national bill signed on August 2 is synonymous to the same ordinance passed in Davao City in 2016.

“We are actually very thankful because before the national bill got approved, the city of Davao has already approved an ordinance in 2016 about public Wifi. Actually the concept is the same; the city's partner is the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) that was previously under the Department of Science and Technology. DICT became a separate department so it became our partner because they have budget,” Bonguyan-Quilos said.

Duterte on August 2 signed RA 10929 or the “Free Internet Access in Public Places Act”, that allows the public to access free internet connection in “national and local government offices; public basic education institutions; state universities and colleges, and 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.”

The law provides that no fees shall be collected from users to connect to the public internet access points. It also states that the limited internet access shall only be effective “when there is clear and present technical risk or breach that cannot be remedied through ordinary technical solutions.”

The law, however, forbids access to pornographic websites.

Bonguyan-Quilos also said Davao City is among the pilot areas for the project with free internet access available in parks within the city like the People's Park.

She added that partnership for the installation of public Wifi in selected schools was also part of the signed ordinance.

“We still have to update which schools have availed of the free public Wifi,” she said.

“The priorities in the committee hearing were the public schools, but we advised DICT to have a separate Memorandum of Agreement with the DepEd, but we do not know what school availed the public Wifi, but the DICT committed that they will provide public schools,” she said.

Bonguyan-Quilos hopes that Dabawenyos will be able to enjoy the project.

She added that currently, government offices like the City Council and private companies only offer free Wifi for 30 minutes and there will be appropriate charges for the exceeding time.

She added that the signing of the bill is a welcome move as it also prioritizes far-flung areas that may pave a way for indigenous people also to access Wi-Fi.

“It is nice nga gitagaan jud sa presidente ug dakong pagtagad gitagaan niya gisuportahan niya nga bill on senate so dako kaayo na nga accomplishment sa nasud Pilipinas (It is nice that the President has considered and supported the Senate bill, which is a huge accomplishment for the Philippines),” she said.

Last July 21, 2017, DICT has reportedly established Wifi in 10 areas in Davao Region including at Anonang National High School, Mambago-B National High School, Nieves Villarica National High School, Peñaplata Freedom Park, Samal National High School, San Antonio National High School, Tagbitan-Ag National High School, Davao City Hall, and DICT Davao City, and People's Park. (SunStar Philippines)