CABANATUAN CITY – The Department of Information and Communications Technology, in partnership with the Nueva Ecija provincial government, on Monday officially launched its “Free Wi-Fi For All” project in the province.

DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan II and Gov. Aurelio Umali, assisted by GP Party-list Rep. Jose Gay Padiernos, led the ceremonial switching-on of the digital hub, marking the start of free public internet access to about 163 hotspots in 44 different areas of the province.

Also joining them in the ceremonial launching, which was held at the second floor of the old capitol building in this city, were DICT Usecs. Eleazar Almalbis Jr. and Arnold Atienza (son of former Manila mayor and now-Buhay Partylist Rep. Jose “Lito” Atienza Jr.), Asec. Kristopher Tiansay and attorney Adrian Jude Echaus.

Honasan said the newly-opened wi-fi sites can already be accessed by the public 24/7.

“This partnership with the province of Nueva Ecija bore fruit with the activation of new free wi-fi for all access points in LGUs, hospitals, state university campuses, and local colleges around the province,” Honasan said.

Of the 163 new wi-fi sites, the DICT said that at least 81 sites are located in the province’s five cities — 37 sites are put up in the provincial capital of Palayan City, 24 in Cabanatuan City, eight each in Gapan City and the Science City of Muñoz and four in San Jose City.

Umali thanked the DICT for prioritizing certain areas in the highland towns of Gabaldon, Carranglan and Pantabangan, earlier considered as wi-fi dead-spots after the agency allocated eight sites each to the first two towns and four to the third one.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Steve A. Gosuico