The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has pledged to provide all local and national government offices in the city as well as all government-run public schools in Baguio free Internet access.
The connectivity grant is through the DICT’s National Broadband Program (NBP), which is intended to grant greater accessibility to Filipinos in the country.
The move to provide Internet access has been in the works since 2020, when in December of last year the DICT partnered with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to procure P1.025 billion worth of funding for the project nationwide.
The first phase of the NBP started in early 2021, and is expected to be completed byt the end of the year.
In the Cordillera region, Baguio City and La Trinidad are tagged as among the 25 priority areas under the NBP that are to receive free Internet access, which is slated to eventually expand to cover barangay halls as well.
Currently, 62 offices in Baguio and La Trinidad already have access to government-provided Internet.
DICT Director Antonio Padre said the project is compliant with Republic Act 10929, known as the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act.
It is also expected to provide better Internet access to students in the two aforementioned areas who are now relying on connectivity in the time of blended and online learning.
