DOST urged to provide free Wi-Fi in airports, trains, hospitals

MANILA, Philippines - Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto urged the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) yesterday to include public hospitals, airports and mass transit system in its designated free Wi-Fi zones in Metro Manila.

Recto, who sponsored the program’s funding in the 2015 national budget, lauded the DOST for its on-time rollout of the Wi-Fi service but added that this should include hospitals.

The service can be used by patients or those who are taking care of them to contact relatives or friends.

“They can have a lifeline they can use to call a friend. If you’re a son of an overseas worker 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.

Recto said the free Wi-Fi zones should also be provided in trains, seaports and airports to make the country at par with its Asian neighbors.

He hinted that this will benefit both local and foreign tourists looking for free Internet access.

As the country prepares for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, providing free Wi-Fi zones should become part of the preparations, he added.

“2015 is Visit Philippines Year. It is also the year we’ll be hosting 15,000 delegates to the APEC Leaders’ Summit and run-up activities. As part of our preparations, we’re sprucing up NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport), building flyovers, and repairing our roads. Wi-Fi in gateways should be a parcel of this,” Recto stressed.

Under the project’s long-term targets, free Internet access points will be set up in Metro Manila and in 967 third to sixth class towns. It also aims to have “points of presence” in cities in Luzon, four in the Visayas, and four in Mindanao. In all, there will be 9,706 rural links in unserved and underserved areas.

The six initial sites chosen by the DOST in Metro Manila are the Quezon City Memorial Circle, Quezon city hall, Philcoa, Social Security System, Land Transportation Office in Quezon City, and Rizal Park in Manila. The first pilot site at the Quezon City Memorial Circle was activated last week.

Under the original plan, free Wi-Fi access will be set up in selected airports, hospitals, public schools, plazas, seaports, government offices and other public places. The idea is to choose installation areas, which will yield the greatest public benefit.

“This is what (Science) Secretary Mario 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.