MRT trains to have free WiFi —Malacanang

Metro Manila, Philippines - Commuters taking the MRT will soon have free WiFi access from beyond the stations to inside the trains, the Palace announced on Friday, May 2.

In a briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the Depart of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is coordinating with telecommunication companies to provide wider bandwidth in MRT stations.

“Ipapatupad ng DICT ang libreng WiFi sa lahat ng MRT station na may kasunod pang plano na pag-bigay rin ng libreng internet access habang nasa loob mismo ng tren,” she said.

[Translation: The DICT will roll out free WiFi in all MRT stations with plans to also provide free internet access to commuters while they are on the train itself.]

The wider free WiFi coverage will also be carried out in LRT-1 and LRT-2.

Castro said the DICT is also eyeing tapping artificial intelligence or AI-powered security screening systems to speed up safety checks.

She added that upgrades for contactless and cashless payments in train stations are also underway.