THE government has allocated P5 billion for the Free Public Internet Access Program to expand the network of hotspots, House Assistant Minority Leader and Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales said.
The fresh funding supplements P7.5 billion for the Free Public Internet Access Program in 2025, Gonzales said.
“We are counting on the program’s expansion to boost access to online learning, distance education, and vital digital services, particularly in underserved and remote communities,” he said in a statement on Monday.
Public elementary and high schools and state universities and colleges (SUCs) were designated as priority sites, Gonzales said.
The program “will empower residents in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) to tap into critical online resources, from government skills-training platforms to employment services — key tools for securing sustainable jobs and livelihoods,” he said.
“Strengthening digital infrastructure in off-grid and hard-to-reach communities is essential to closing persistent development gaps and ensuring all Filipinos can participate in the digital economy,” Gonzales said.
The Free Internet Access in Public Places Act (Republic Act 10929) mandates that free access points be installed nationwide in public areas including parks, libraries, barangay (village) halls, elementary schools and secondary schools, SUCs, hospitals, airports and seaports, and land transport terminals.
Funding for the program will come from the Spectrum User Fees collected by the National Telecommunications Commission from private telecommunications companies.
