DICT installs 191 FREE Wi-Fi access points in Kalinga

Tabuk City, Kalinga - Since 2023, residents in Kalinga have been benefiting from the free Wi-Fi program of the Department of Information and Communications Technology - Cordillera, enabling them to take advantage of opportunities in today's digital world.

The DICT, according to Philippine Information Agency – CAR, has successfully installed 191 Wi-Fi signals in all the municipalities in the province, allowing the residents to have a free stable internet connection.

All isolated communities across the country are the target areas of the program, bringing stable internet access to those who need it the most.

In the first quarter of this year, six units of Starlink Connection were turned over to the following barangays in the province, namely, Mangali, Tanudan; Asibanglan, Pinukpuk; Tawang, Balbalan; Pasil Municipal Hall; Western Uma, Lubuagan; and Sumadel, Tinglayan. Said FREE internet access was installed in the following Barangay Halls of Upper Lubo, Antonio Canao, Asibanglan, Magaogao, and San Pedro, and the Rural Health Units of Pasil and Tinglayan.

Free internet access is a game-changer for most residents of Kalinga. It opens doors to a lot of opportunities in education, health care, and government services, aside from many economic activities like online businesses or even remote working.

Students in the province are among those real beneficiaries of the program because they are going to have online learning resources in an era where digital literacy and internet resources are becoming increasingly critical to finding academic success.

The free Wi-Fi connectivity also allows people in Kalinga to stay in touch with their family and friends, thus bridging the distance between rural areas and an urban center.

Also, it improves local businesses by making e-commerce and online platforms accessible to upgrade economic activities within the province and the region as a whole.

The DICT-CAR is still far from being over with the completion of its program as it continues on the rollout of more access points across Kalinga to be extended further in the years to come.