Rollout of free internet in public areas expected to boost MSME income
Micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) in Cebu are expected to generate more sales with the rollout of free internet in public areas.
Following the activation of 130 free WiFi sites in Cebu, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) 7 is expecting to see robust growth in trade and tourism, especially among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
For Cebu Province, the P30 million Pipol Konek project aims to connect all the cities and municipalities to the internet in 554 sites in public spaces like plazas and public schools.
“We believe that it would help in the economic aspect because internet is used for mobile marketing and social media marketing,” said DICT Assistant Secretary Alan Silor.
Activation
Currently, the DICT is at 23 percent towards completion in Cebu with a target date in 2022 for the whole country.
Around 2, 000 sites are now active in the Philippines. The DICT plans to connect 200,000 more under the Duterte administration.
With the current economic condition, where going digital is a must for a business to thrive, Silor said free internet access would open up a vast market for business owners in e-commerce.
Moreover, Silor said they are already coordinating with the Department of Tourism (DOT) to install free WiFi access points in tourist destinations.
Security
In terms of internet speed, Enrico Toledo, project manager, said it would depend on how many people are using it.
He, however, assured that the agency has blocklisted websites that are not appropriate for children.
“The internet usage is being monitored to avoid abuse,” Toledo said, adding that the free internet is accessible 24/7.
Silor noted it is also one of their preventive measures to make sure that a real person is using their bandwidth and not a bot.
“It could be a bot so we want to lessen that possibility,” he said.
The main criteria for a local government unit (LGU) to enjoy the Pipol Konek project is for it to be a third-class municipality but because of the demand, the DICT also installed it in major cities and municipalities.
“There is a need, a demand so there is a schedule of prioritization for the LGU and on their end, they also have to maintain the equipment,” Silor said.
DICT 7 officer-in-charge Frederick Amores said this move would propel the growth of MSMEs, especially in areas with no access to social media in Cebu.
“When we have more people that access the internet, there will be more incentives for them to go online because the market itself is going online,” he said in an earlier interview.
A budget of about P1.4 billion was appropriated for the rollout of Pipol Konek, a project that is in line with the “Internet For All” thrust of the Duterte administration.
It aims to accelerate the government’s efforts in enhancing internet accessibility for Filipinos that would hasten economic, social and educational opportunities.