True to its mission of providing Internet connectivity to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas in the Philippines, the Department of Information and Communications Technology is set to deploy Free Wi-Fi sites and Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) facilities in remote islands in Mindanao this coming March.
This initiative is made possible through the efforts of DICT Mindanao Cluster 1 with the support of Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Mindanao Command, Philippine Coast Guard and BARMM’s Ministry of Transportation and Communication.
“This 2021, your DICT will strengthen the roll-out of Free Wi-Fi sites, particularly in remote and underdeveloped areas, to provide various opportunities for Filipinos and help them better adapt to the new normal,” DICT Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II said.
“Wherever you are in the country, your DICT will strive to reach you,” he added.
According to MinDA Chairman Emmanuel Piñol, residents of the islands need to go to higher elevations to get cellphone signals from a Malaysian telecommunication facility. With the help of DICT and MinDA, the people from these areas will no longer be isolated from the rest of the country.
The islands of Taganak and Mapun in Tawi-Tawi will be provided with two (2) VSAT facility each. Twenty four (24) other communities in the Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (BASULTA) area will also get VSAT facilities.
Likewise, the DICT will also provide four (4) desktop computer packages to the local government unit (LGU) of Taganak Island and four (4) more will be given to Mapun Island LGU. Meanwhile, twenty-one (21) thin client (a computer that runs from resources stored on a central server instead of a localized hard drive) packages will be given to Mapun National High School and Turtle Islands National High School.
The Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), under Maj. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., will be providing security and facilitate the deployment of DICT teams who will install the VSAT facilities and Wi-Fi equipment to the beneficiary areas.
Below are the list of locations in BASULTA area that will be provided with Free Internet connectivity this first semester.
LOT# |
LOCATION NAME |
LOCALITY |
PROVINCE |
1 |
Sumisip District Hospital |
Sumisip |
Basilan |
Ediborah P. Yap Memorial Hospital |
Lamitan |
Basilan |
|
Basilan State College |
Isabela |
Basilan |
|
Municipal Hall of Tipo-Tipo |
Tipo-Tipo |
Basilan |
|
2 |
Municipal Hall Jolo |
Jolo |
Sulu |
Sulu Provincial Hospital |
Jolo |
Sulu |
|
3 |
Sulu State College |
Patikul |
Sulu |
Mindanao State University |
Patikul |
Sulu |
|
Provincial Capitol of Sulu |
Patikul |
Sulu |
|
4 |
Parang District Hospital |
Parang |
Sulu |
5 |
Luuk District Hospital |
Luuk |
Sulu |
|
Provincial Capitol of Tawi-Tawi, |
Bongao |
Tawi-Tawi |
6 |
Municipal Hall of Bongao, MDRRMO |
Bongao |
Tawi-Tawi |
|
Mindanao State University |
Bongao |
Tawi-Tawi |
7 |
Panglima Sugala Town Hall |
Panglima Sugala |
Tawi-Tawi |
Panglima Sugala Rural Health Unit |
Panglima Sugala |
Tawi-Tawi |
|
Batu-Batu Nat’l High School |
Panglima Sugala |
Tawi-Tawi |
|
8 |
Sitangkai Municipal Police Station |
Sitangkai |
Tawi-Tawi |
Municipal Hall Sitangkai |
Sitangkai |
Tawi-Tawi |
|
Sitangkai Birthing Clinic |
Sitangkai |
Tawi-Tawi |
|
9 |
Turtle Islands National High School |
Turtle Islands |
Tawi-Tawi |
Turtle Islands Municipal Hall |
Turtle Islands |
Tawi-Tawi |
|
10 |
Mapun National High School |
Mapun |
Tawi-Tawi |
Mapun Municipal Hall |
Mapun |
Tawi-Tawi |
|
12 |
Languyan Municipal Hospital |
Languyan |
Tawi-Tawi |
13 |
Municipal Hall of Sibutu |
Sibutu |
Tawi-Tawi |