The Department of Information and Communications Technology-Cordillera will install more free wi-fi connections in the Cordillera in 2024.
DICT-Cordillera Operations Officer Allan Lao, during the 2023 Education Convergence program of the Department Education-Cordillera, said the agency is already working on setting up a site in Mount Pulag, which will be one of the areas for the mesh network or point-to-point access to establish links in other areas of the region.
Mount Pulag is the highest peak in Luzon at 2,928 meters above sea level.
Lao said DICT is waiting for clearance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Cordillera to start the construction as part of the “free WiFi for all” program of the agency.
Lao said the Mount Pulag site will cater for the Ifugao area while the ongoing establishment of another site in Camilo Lucaben Elementary School in Madaymen, Kibungan will cater to the Benguet area and as far as Sagada, Mountain Province and in Tinglayan town in Kalinga and parts of Apayao province.
“Hopefully this will make an impact to the community especially with the operational use of municipalities and schools. The WiFi component will give free access to the public. Those sites will be placed at specific places like barangay hall, premises of municipal hall, rural health units, and schools and we are excited about that,” Lao said.
Lao said the DICT has partnered with provincial and municipal government units in a bid to distribute the signal while it is banking on the LGUs to bring the connection to the villages in their areas.
He cited the initiative of Tinoc, Ifugao which aligned its funds for the setting up of a tower that will allow the DICT to install the equipment which will connect to the Mount Pulag signal.
Lao said the DICT is committed to linking through the Internet the Cordillera region which has a substantial budget, thus the need to pursue the program. The DICT reported there are only 28 percent of municipalities with decent access to Internet connectivity. – Ofelia C. Empian
