Now that the public can access the Internet for free in several public places, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is urging government agencies to maximize the Internet as a way to reach out, educate the public, and obtain feedback regarding their programs and projects.
“The Internet and social media are powerful tools, and we in government should make the most out of it — especially since it appears that we have to make people better understand how government agencies work, the dynamics between the different branches of government, our specific roles, and the part citizens play in governance,” said Pimentel.
The legislator said on Wednesday, Aug. 9, that the Senate, in particular, would be producing a series of short videos that would explain how a bill is crafted and becomes law, the budget process, and the role of congressional inquiries.
“We hope other government agencies follow suit and produce their own information materials to maximize the reach of social media and the Internet.”
Pres. Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) 10929, or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, last week. The Senate passed its version of the measure in March this year.
RA 10929 establishes a Free Internet Access Program that will provide free Internet services in public areas such as national and local government offices; public basic education institutions; public hospitals, health centers, and rural health units; public parks, plazas, libraries, and barangay reading centers; public airports and seaports; and public transport terminals.
The law tasks the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) with implementing the law and ensuring that each user experiences a minimum Internet speed of 2 Mbps.
Out of the Philippine population, 44.2 million Filipinos are active Internet users, while 42 million Filipinos are active on social media; active mobile social media users grew by 50% from 2014 to 2015. A total of 32 million Filipinos, on the other hand, are able to access the Internet via their mobile phones.
