E-Governance and WiFi Sites launching in Antique, digital inclusion prioritized by Legarda

Through the efforts of Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, and Antique Cong. AA Legarda, 150 barangays in Antique will benefit from the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) launching of e-Governance and WiFi sites held today at the Paghi-UsA Hall, University of Antique Main Campus in Sibalom, Antique.

The launching of the e-Governance and the activation of 150 WiFi sites which was preceded by the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by Antique municipal mayors and DICT Secretary Ivan Uy was witnessed by over a thousand Antiqueños including the Senator herself, Congressman AA Legarda, Governor Rhodora Cadiao, provincial board members, municipal mayors, and University of Antique President Dr. Pablo S. Crespo, Jr. and Deped supervisors.

Legarda, the principal author of the Republic Act No. 10844 or the law creating the DICT, expressed, “It is fulfilling to witness another piece of legislation that I principally authored materialize. We all witness the provisions of the Republic Act No. 10844 or the law creating the DICT being brought to life in our own province, particularly the law’s mission to promote the use of ICT for the enhancement of key public services, such as education, public health and safety, revenue generation, and socio-civic purposes. This we call as e-governance.”

The four-term Senator furthered, “Also with this project, we can achieve another promise of the law, which is to ensure the availability and accessibility of ICT services in areas not adequately served by the private sector. We will soon see an improvement to the data showing that only 40% of Antique are connected to Globe and Smart.”

Legarda pushed for the funding of the 71-million-peso project to benefit barangays identified as high-density areas, indigenous communities, Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA), schools, and health centers with the goal of providing Antiqueños with better quality of life through the delivery of speedy and efficient government services to the people.

The Free WiFi service shall be done by establishing a combination of fiber optic and terrestrial wireless (microwave) based high-speed internet service starting in San Jose de Buenavista in the south and Libertad in the north. These will be placed at high elevations for eventual distribution to the barangays. The rest of the barangays will be installed WiFi sites in 2024, as committed by cong. Aa Legarda to his kasimanwa.

A fiber optic cabling system will be installed from San Jose de Buenavista to each of Antique’s towns, using ANTECO’s electric poles. They also intend to use solar energy for the project. (end)