Government setting up 100,000 free Wi-Fi sites nationwide

The government is planning to set up 100,000 Wi-Fi sites in the country, especially in areas that have no internet connection.

GMA News' JP Soriano reported Thursday on “Unang Balita” that the government is allotting P3 billion for the 10-year internet project that aims to set up 100,000 Wi-Fi sites to address the poor internet access and connectivity in the country.

Citing 2016 data from the United Nations Broadband Commission for Development, Soriano said that only less than three of every 10 homes (28. 3%) have internet access, and that the Philippines ranks 64th among 138 countries  in terms of the number of household connected to the internet.

Based on UNBCD’s data, other developing countries such as Jamaica, Fiji, Bhutan, Sudan, Ghana, Indonesia and Uzbekistan have surpassed the Philippines in household internet connectivity.

South Korea is among the leaders with over 98 percent of its homes having internet access.

Data from Philippine Statistics Authority show that in 2015 the country had 20.98 million households.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Usec. Jorge Sarmiento said that Wi-Fi sites will be set up in public places.

“Sa mga park,  plaza sa mga local government unit areas, health centers, pier ang lalagyan ng free public Wi-Fi ... we are aiming to cover all municipalities in the country," he said.

Also he said that all public schools in the country will have free Wi-Fi connection.

Sarmiento said the DICT is fast-tracking the project as the plan for the national broadband program has already been approved by President Rodrigo Duterte.  —LBG, GMA News