House tackles public wi-fi bill

MANILA, Philippines - The House committee on information and communications technology has started deliberations on a bill which seeks to provide free wireless Internet accessibility in government offices and other public places.

Filed by Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, House Bill 1550, or the proposed Free Public Wi-Fi Act, mandates the Department of Science and Technology to provide free Internet connectivity in buildings of all national government offices, including regional and satellite offices, municipal halls and provincial capitols, state universities and colleges, public parks and plazas, public hospitals and even public transportation terminals such as airports and public bus stations.

“The Free Public Wi-Fi Act seeks to move government one step forward in providing democratic access to the Internet. Notwithstanding the issue of the mass accessibility and availability of personal electronic devices that people have to use in order to access public networks, government has to recognize that the Internet is an important mechanism in delivering some of its services, and a valuable tool for people’s participation in governance and in democracy,” Ridon said in the explanatory note of his bill.

“One way to foster this democratic participation is by at least providing the people access to the Internet in many, if not all, of our government buildings and public establishments,” he said.

One notable provision of the proposed bill is the absence of restrictions with regard to public wi-fi access, in the form of passwords and other similar mechanisms.

The bill also seeks to provide wi-fi service in public places free of charge.