THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) aims to set up more than 15,000 free Wi-Fi sites for 2023, Undersecretary Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo said.

Lamentillo, who also acts as the department’s spokesman, said that the agency will carry out the instructions of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to make Filipinos connected to each other and the world.

Most of the free Wi-Fi access will be placed in remote areas to ensure everybody is “connected.”

“If this will be implemented, the digital divide will be greatly minimized and more opportunities can be given to the Filipino people.”

“Our target is to have 15,834 free Wi-Fi sites for 2023,” Lamentillo said.

She said that for 2025, the DICT aims to have more than 100,000 operational free Wi-Fi sites for a complete access from the tip of the north, all the way down to the south of the Philippines.

“Under the Build, Better More program of President Marcos, he wants to improve the digital infrastructure in the country. That is why we have the Broadband ng Masa of the DICT that aims to give a faster and better connection to broadband in the country, especially for the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,” the official added.

She said that the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure, a 240-kilometer fiber corridor that would link the cable landing station, will be owned and operated by the local government of Baler, Aurora and Poro Point, La Union. It will increase the current capacity of the government by 50 times.

“From 40,000 Mbps (megabits per second), it will increase to 2,000,000 Mbps over the next six years. We expect Phase 1 of the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure to be finished by the first half of 2023,” Lamentillo said.

Under the Broadband ng Masa, free Wi-Fi will be provided by the government.

Presently, there are 4,757 live sites in 75 provinces.