The national government is expanding its digital infrastructure to Occidental Mindoro with free Wi-Fi installations planned across major public locations.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has identified ten strategic sites across eight municipalities in the province, targeting areas that have historically lacked internet connectivity.

The free Wi-Fi zones will be established primarily in municipal plazas – the heart of town communities – across Magsaysay, San Jose (the province’s commercial center), Rizal, Calintaan, Sablayan (the province’s largest municipality), Santa Cruz, Mamburao (the provincial capital), and Paluan.

“By positioning these Wi-Fi zones in municipal plazas, we can ensure maximum public benefit,” said Engineer Kevin Cajayon from DICT Occidental Mindoro.

In locations such as Santa Cruz, the installation has been strategically planned to cover both the Santa Cruz National High School and the adjacent hospital simultaneously.

The country, with over 7,600 islands, has long struggled with internet connectivity issues.

Recent studies show big disparities in internet access between urban and rural areas, with remote island provinces often lagging behind.

Started during the presidency of Rody Duterte, the “Free Wi-Fi for All” project will bridge the digital divide and enhance economic and educational opportunities across the country.

DICT has implemented security measures to protect users, including firewall systems to block potentially harmful websites, IP isolation technology to prevent unauthorised access between connected devices, and network security protocols to safeguard user data.

“Our IP isolation feature ensures that even if a malicious actor connects to the public Wi-Fi, they cannot access other users’ devices on the same network,” Cajayon explained.

The installation phase is scheduled for completion by late February 2025, following which the service will undergo technical inspection, system testing, and official turnover to the LGUs before public access is activated.

Education officials anticipate that the free Wi-Fi service will particularly benefit students who previously struggled with online research and distance learning requirements due to limited internet access.