Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Sen. Ralph Recto wants Wi-Fi access for more people and in more areas.
This developed after Recto lauded the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) launching of six pilot free WiFi hotspots in Metro Manila.
In a statement released to the media on Sunday (July 26), the Senate president pro-tempore said public hospitals, airports and mass transit systems “must be prioritized next.”
The idea, Recto explained, was to choose installation areas which will yield the greatest public benefit.
“And this what Secretary Montejo and his team are doing: making sure the government gets more bytes and benefits out of the buck,” Recto said.
Officially called the Free Internet Connectivity in Public Places, the project has a budget of P1.4 billion this year.
Communication is important for families whose loved ones are admitted in hospitals, he stressed.
“If you’re a son of an OFW and you would like to get in touch with your father because your mom has been stricken ill, then you can do it within the hospital premises,” he said.
The project’s long-term targets included free Internet access points in 967 3rd to 6th class towns and Metro Manila and “points of presence” in 6 Luzon, 4 Visayas, and 4 Mindanao cities.
In all, there will be 9,706 rural links in unserved and underserved areas.
