The province of Ifugao will be getting free 50 Wi-Fi sites under the Free Wi-Fi for All program of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)

DICT Secretary Gregorio “Gringo” B. Honasan II and Ifugao Governor Jerry U. Dalipog led the ceremonial signing for the project at the DICT Central Office in Metro Manila on Sept. 22, 2021.

“Your DICT welcomes this partnership, especially given the growing demand for connectivity and the need to address the ICT needs of our citizens amid the new normal,” Honasan said in a statement on Sunday. “We commend the Province of Ifugao’s great efforts to push for digital transformation in their locality.”

The MOA provides for the allocation of 50 units of free Wi-Fi sites to be installed in the barangay halls and public schools of identified barangays to enhance connectivity and ramp up communication links in the province.

The free Wi-Fi rollout is a much-needed assistance for the province, since currently Ifugao has no existing fiber optics communications technology.

The province also has no landline telephone network and is dependent on fixed wireless connections provided by private telecommunications companies for internet access.

The parties to the MOA also discussed additional plans to fortify digital transformation in the province and ways to help advance the national ICT agenda through provincial partnerships.

The provincial government of Ifugao also received computer packages from the DICT.

These computer packages would be instrumental in the enhancement of ICT skills and digital capabilities of students as they undergo online and blended learning in the new normal.

“We are grateful for your assistance, especially in providing us laptops for the use of the Ifugao people and for including us in the rollout of your free Wi-Fi program. This is a great help to us in our communications and to the students this time of pandemic,” Dalipog said partly in Filipino