TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) \u2014 The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will add 132 more free Wi-Fi access points across Bohol this July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rollout covers 60 new sites and will bring the province\u2019s total to 494 access points in 201 sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DICT Bohol provincial officer Victor Magallanes announced the expansion during National ICT Month in June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The program provides free internet access in public places and high-foot-traffic areas, including geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), to promote digital inclusion and economic opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Free Wi-Fi is also available in national government agency (NGA) offices, local government units (LGUs), state universities and colleges, public schools, public hospitals, and medical centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The expansion will extend coverage to barangay halls and health centers, with access requiring a national ID for secure use, according to DICT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Free Wi-Fi for All Program is a flagship government initiative under Republic Act 10929 (RA 10929), which mandates free internet access in public places, said Jimmy Ratilla, DICT industry development officer, at Kapihan sa PIA. DICT marks its 10th year in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Free Wi-Fi has also enabled online transactions and payments, Ratilla added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While coverage does not yet extend across the entire province, most towns already have access points, and the expansion is set for completion in July, Ratilla said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to connect:\u2029<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Turn on your device\u2019s Wi-Fi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Select the freewifi4all network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read and accept the terms and conditions on the DICT portal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Click Connect and start browsing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DICT said the firewalls that protect users from scams may slow connections at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It advised those making online transactions over public Wi-Fi to use their own mobile data for added security. (Rey Anthony Chiu \/PIA Bohol)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FREE BAYANIHAN SIM CARDS<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) \u2014 About 13,000 students and teachers in Bohol will receive free SIM cards loaded with mobile data under the second phase of the Bayanihan SIM Project, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Bohol chief Victor Magallanes said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The recipients are among the beneficiaries of a government social welfare program, and residents of geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA), Magallanes said at the Kapihan sa PIA, a weekly news forum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bayanihan SIM Project, also called JuanSIM ng Bayan, is a DICT program to expand internet access in underserved communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It gives users SIM cards and mobile data instead of relying on public Wi-Fi hotspots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is implemented in collaboration with Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH), and private telecommunications companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each SIM is loaded with 25 gigabytes (GB) of data per month for one year, DICT Project Development Officer Jimmy Ratilla said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unused data does not carry over to the next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSIMs are issued only to subscribers with email addresses,\u201d Ratilla said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For minors, the SIM is given to a parent or guardian for the student\u2019s use in online research and schoolwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DICT has also blocked access to certain applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDuring the initial rollout in Bohol, DICT distributed 2,600 Bayanihan SIMs to students and faculty in Alicia,\u201d Magallanes said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SIMs have also been distributed in Garcia Hernandez, Dimiao, and Valencia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second phase covers 13,000 SIMs for 61 schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DICT will also activate 132 more free public Wi-Fi access points in 60 Bohol locations by July, Magallanes said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This will bring Bohol to nearly 500 free access points in 200 locations under the DICT Free Wi-Fi for All program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The program is mandated by Republic Act 10929, the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, which provides free internet in public places such as plazas, schools, hospitals, and government offices, as well as in geographically isolated and depressed areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Magallanes said it aims to bridge the digital divide and help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) reach markets. (RAHC\/PIA Bohol)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) \u2014 The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will add 132 more free Wi-Fi access points across Bohol this July. The rollout covers 60 new sites and will bring the province\u2019s total to 494 access points in 201 sites. DICT Bohol provincial officer Victor Magallanes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8450,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,32,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-thisweektopstories","category-top-stories",""],"yoast_head":"\n