Given the increasing role of Internet in communications especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, a member of the House of Representatives is pushing the government and local telcos to bring a minimum of “4G, 30Mbps” mobile speed in the provinces.
Despite the controversy generated by his offer to quit, it was generally assumed that DICT undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. would remain in his post after patching up his differences with DICT secretary Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II regarding the agency’s disbursement of its P300-million confidential funds.
A lawmaker said the ancient manual sign-up method would be burdensome on both the drivers and commuters, aside from exposing them to identity thieves, stalkers, and other privacy violators.
A Senate resolution noted the DICT has not been meeting its targets. In 2018, the agency targeted to add 5,308 sites in 1,500 cities. But as of April 13, 2020, there are only 3,707 live hotspots across the country's public spaces.
The Covid Action Network, made up of 67 organizations and 38 individuals and youth groups, has sent proposals to the government aimed at expanding Internet coverage and helping ease broadband network rollout.
The DICT said there is a compelling need for LGUs and HOAs to cooperate in addressing the need for connectivity and better quality of ICT services especially in the current Covid-19 pandemic.
One of the agencies with an outdated online infrastructure is SSS, making the state pension firm unable to respond to the requests from members wanting to get financial assistance from the government.
The DICT reported that it has already tested 158 dark fiber segments of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines and completed construction of the cable landing stations at Baler Aurora and Poro Point, La Union.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it has reached out to various government institutions to offer one of its core services, the Philippine National Public Key Infrastructure (PNPKI).
