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MANILA, Philippines — Eight years after launching efforts to provide free internet access nationwide, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the program needs to be "overhauled."
In a statement on Monday, March 10, the DICT said it would revamp the government's approach to implementing the Free Wi-Fi Program.
“The current approach to the Free Wi-Fi Program requires reevaluation and restructuring. We are spending approximately P6.5 billion annually to provide internet access to more than 7,000 locations,” DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy said.
This comes days after former DICT Secretary Ivan Uy resigned, a move confirmed by Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro last week.
The DICT also said the overhaul of the Free Wi-Fi Program aligns with the government’s “broader rationalization efforts” and responds to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.'s directive to “review the sustainability of key DICT programs.”
“There are more cost-effective alternatives if we enter into long-term agreements,” Dy said.
According to the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the government has allocated P7.5 billion for the Free Public Internet Access Program, inclusive of infrastructure such as towers and data centers.
The GAA also directs the DICT to prioritize public schools in geographically isolated, disadvantaged and rural marginalized areas under the Free Public Wi-Fi Program.
Free Wi-Fi for schools
Dy said that the government is exploring the use of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites and negotiating with a provider for a more cost-effective option to enhance school connectivity.
LEO satellites are said to improve internet quality and reduce data transmission delays, enabling low-latency applications such as voice calls and video conferencing.
He added that the provider offered to supply internet to 10,000 schools with a combined speed of 200 megabits per second (mbps) for P1.5 billion per year under a proposed 10-year contract, significantly reducing costs.
However, since the 200 Mbps would be shared across multiple schools, the actual speed per site would vary based on usage and network congestion.
The DICT said it has identified 40,000 additional locations for “multicasting educational content,” which is among the program’s objectives in bridging the digital divide, especially in more remote areas.
Public schools and government offices, hospitals, health centers, parks, libraries and airports are included in the program's coverage.
The Free Wi-Fi Program was launched following the passage of the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, or Republic Act 10929, in August 2017.
Free data subscriptions?
Among other initiatives of the DICT to enhance connectivity is the SIM Card ng Bayan project, which seeks to expand the number of permanent cell site towers.
Marcos ordered the DICT to allocate P5 billion for the project, subsidizing part of the costs for telecommunications firms and common tower providers.
The subsidy will be provided through free 25-gigabyte internet subscriptions for students within the towers' coverage areas.
Dy said the DICT is also exploring broadband wireless access through permanent towers as a more sustainable alternative to expand internet access nationwide.
According to the DICT’s latest report, over 13,000 free Wi-Fi sites had been established nationwide as of November 2024, with 16,251 access points deployed.
The government has partnered with PLDT and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to expand the sites to 14,000. So far, the partnership has activated 1,000 free Wi-Fi sites for 220 state universities and colleges across the country.
