Accelerate free Internet program, Angara urges

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara has urged the government to accelerate the implementation of the Free Internet Access Program in public places particularly in state universities and colleges (SUCs) across the country.

Under Republic Act 10929, Angara said the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is mandated to carry out the government’s free Wi-Fi program in all public places in the country, including government-run education institutions.

But out of the 112 SUCs covered by the project, Angara said only 17 had been given the free Wi-Fi connection as of December 2018, based on the data submitted by the DICT during the budget hearings.

“That’s only 15 percent of the overall target,” said Angara, who is seeking another Senate term in the upcoming May 2019 elections.

“Any delay means depriving our students and faculty members of 95 SUCs access to free Wi-Fi as what the project has intended,” he added.

Angara pointed out that the free public Wi-Fi project has a total budget of R1.7-billion for 2018, which includes P326-million for SUCs and P1.36-billion for other public places covered by the program.

However, as of June 2018, the DICT reported during a Senate budget hearing that it had only utilized 10 percent of the fund appropriated for the project.

Angara stressed that the free Internet connectivity in SUCs can help students with their research, school assignments and projects.

With free Wi-Fi access, he said devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones can connect students to a wealth of text, audio and video content not found in textbooks.

“Kung libre ang Wi-Fi, malaki ang matitipid ng mga estudyante dahil hindi na nila kailangang gumastos sa mga computer shop o pagpapa-load para magkaroon ng internet data, (If there is free Wi-FI, students can save much of their allowances because they do not need to spend their money on computer shops or even on load just so they can have Internet data),” Angara pointed out.

The senator also said the program can also help students keep in touch with their families and loved ones.