Cotabato
City (March 8, 2016) – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will
provide free internet connection to public places in the coming months to
improve residents’ access to opportunities.
The
free internet access will be funded by the ARMM’s Payapa at Masaganang
Pamayanan (PAMANA) program and the Department of Science and Technology
(DOST)-ARMM.
Abdenul
Campong, chief of information and communications technology of the ARMM
governor's office, said PAMANA will initially provide internet connection to
public places in five identified local government units – one site in each
province under the ARMM.
The
project aims at providing connectivity and free internet access and an avenue
for service delivery mechanism enhancement in the areas of education, health,
and disaster preparedness.
“The
focus is to establish connectivity in government service agencies or offices to
improve government services,” Campong said. He added that the connectivity is
for use of the PAMANA communities availing government services such as online
registration for birth certificate, marriage certificate, and National Bureau
of Investigation clearance, among others.
In
January and February, the project’s Technical Working Group conducted a series
of site validation to find strategic places for the connections and the
presence of internet service providers in the areas.
The
target local government units are Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao, Marawi City
in Lanao del Sur, Bongao in Tawi-Tawi, Jolo in Sulu, and Lamitan City in
Basilan. A total of P50 million was allocated for the entire year under the
2016 PAMANA ARMM Fund.
PAMANA
is the national government’s peace and development framework that caters
specifically to peace and development issues of conflict-affected communities.
Meanwhile,
the DOST-ARMM will also embark on internet connection to more than 80
identified sites across the region. The project, dubbed ‘Juan Konek’, will
install free internet connectivity to public places such as plazas, parks,
schools and health facilities.
“This
project aims at accelerating the government’s efforts in enhancing internet
accessibility for Filipinos to accelerate economic, social and educational
opportunities,” DOST-ARMM Secretary Myrah Mangcabung said.
The
project is the national government’s initiative directly in line with the
“Internet For All” thrust identified in the Philippine Digital Strategy
2011-2016.
The
project, launched in July 2015, received P3 billion in total funding. The free
internet can be accessed through 7,118 sites nationwide across 967 towns.
(Bureau of Public Information)
Visit
the official website of the Bureau of Public Information here.
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