While the government’s Free WiFi program has been in existence since 2015, the DICT made a few enhancements during the onset of the pandemic. The DICT is set to revamp its Free WiFi program once again, citing high costs and inefficiencies in the current setup.

In an article by the PNA, DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy said that the program requires reevaluation and restructuring for a more cost-effective approach. The government has an annual budget of Php 6.5 billion to cover internet access in over 7,000 locations.

“For instance, we are in discussions with a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) provider for a potential discount to enhance connectivity in schools. The provider has offered an aggregated 200Mbps (MIR) of internet for 10,000 school locations at only Php1.5 billion per year, provided the procurement is through a 10-year contract,” Dy said.

Aside from improving connectivity in schools and reducing costs, the DICT plans to utilize 40,000 locations for broadcasting educational content to enhance digital learning nationwide, and to focus on mobile network expansion. Dy said that President Bongbong Marcos has directed the DICT to allocate Php 5 billion for the SIM Card ng Bayan Project, which aims to fund the construction of permanent cell towers.

The project will support the expansion of permanent cell site towers by subsidizing a portion of the cost for teleco companies and common tower providers. The subsidy will be provided in the form of free 25GB data allocation for students within the coverage of the common towers. The DICT also sees the Common Tower Program as a long-term solution to expand mobile network coverage and broadband access.