On DICT’s 10th year

About 500 ‘Wifi for all’ access

points in 200 Bohol locations

TAGBILARAN CITY Bohol (PIA)— The Department of Information, Communication and Technology (DICT) is set to activate 132 more free wireless fidelity (WIFI) internet access points on 60 this July, bringing to 494 access points in 201 sites all over Bohol, reports DICT Bohol Provincial Officer Victor Magallanes, during the National ICT Month celebration this June.

This, as the government fulfils its programmed promise of delivering free internet access to the people, in public sites and high foot traffic areas including geographically isolated and depressed areas; all to promote digital inclusion and economic opportunities.

Other than public areas, free wifi access also is available in national government agency (NGA) offices, local government units (LGUs), state universities, colleges, and public schools, public hospitals and medical centers.

And by 2026, the expansion includes barangay halls and health centers, with standardized access requiring a national ID for secure usage according to DICT.

“Celebrating its 10th year after its foundation, DICT implemented program is a flagship initiative of the government as mandated in the Republic Act 10929 which provides for a fast, reliable and free wifi access,” explains Engr Jimmy Ratilla, DICT Industry development Officer, over at Kapihan sa PIA.

The development makes free Wi-Fi for all, an increasingly available service through public hotspots, and community-powered platforms, bridging the digital divide and providing accessible internet to everyone.

Free Wi-Fi helps bridge the digital divide, support education and healthcare access, and enable economic participation for communities that might otherwise lack reliable internet and empowers individuals to access information, communicate, and participate in the digital economy without financial barriers.

The provision of WIFI access has also made online transactions and payments possible, Ratilla added.

Although still not enough to cover the whole province, DICT’s Ratilla said most of the towns have access points, with the expansion set to be completed in July.

How to Connect?

Connecting to the network is quick and pretty straightforward: Turn on your device's Wi-Fi, then select the DICT freewifi4all network.

Allow time for the devise to connect to the network which brings one to the DICT portal splash page.

Then, read and accept the terms and conditions, before clicking to connect and start browsing.

DICT also added that due to the installed secure firewalls to protect users from scam, there could be some lagging experiences, advising users who go for online transactions over the public wifi to use data instead, for better protection from snooping scammers out to rob unsuspecting users of their private information. (PIAbohol)

MARKING MILESTONE. DICT in Bohol commemorates its 10th founding anniversary with 500 free public wifi access points in 200 location in Bohol, all to expand digital inclusion and open more opportunities for communities. (PIABohol)