DICT positions Bulacan at the forefront of digitalization
By Shane F. Velasco
MALOLOS CITY (PIA) — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has put Bulacan at the forefront of various digitalization initiatives.
This is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s push for digital connectivity, as he emphasized in his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Napakahalaga ng internet sa ating pagtahak patungo sa Bagong Pilipinas. Kaya nitong padaliin at baguhin ang pamumuhay ng ating mga mamamayan. Hindi lang ito para sa may kaya, o para lamang sa mga bata. Ito ay kailangan na ng lahat,” he stated.
The DICT has installed free WiFi connectivity in more than 19,000 sites at present from about 4,000 sites in June 2022.
Included in the figure are 543 WiFi sites installed in the province from 2023 up to the present.
DICT Provincial Director Mario Antonio Yong Aya-ay disclosed that apart from installation, the agency also upgraded the internet speed to 100 Mbps from the initial 2 Mbps to better support the increasing connectivity needs of users in Bulacan.
“The launching of eGovPH and the eLGU likewise made the province connected to all government services in just one app,” he added.
eLGU allows citizens to have access to an online one-stop shop LGU system automation such as getting business permit licensing, barangay clearance, building permit, working permit, community tax certificate, local civil registry, occupational permit, health certificates and even LGU online news.
Governor Daniel Fernando cited the DICT programs that made Bulacan a model in government digital transformation.
As a result, 99 percent or 23 out of 24 of local government units in the province have already digitalized their bureaucratic system.
Digitalization efforts also boosted in the aspect of consumer protection when the DICT formally joined the launch of the Market Next project of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Under this initiative, public markets in the 20 towns and four cities across Bulacan will soon be connected to faster and more reliable internet connectivity.
The Market Next project will complement existing projects such as the DTI’s Market Modernization program and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Paleng-QR Ph.
Meanwhile, the education sector continues to benefit from accelerating digital connectivity as DICT piloted the rollout of the Bayanihan SIM Project at the Kalawakan Elementary School in Doña Remedios Trinidad town.
An initial 500 Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards were distributed for free to the students and teachers.
Each SIM card has 25 gigabytes per month or preferably 25 hours of wide use.
This is part of the effort to make internet access more inclusive and reduce the digital divide among the people living in the far-flung areas of Bulacan.
To ensure a strong internet connection in implementing the said projects, the DICT has accelerated the construction of the common towers under the Shared Passive Telecommunications Tower Infrastructure started in 2020.
This common tower gives a boost to the internet connectivity like in the public schools such as Tibagan Elementary School in San Miguel town and the Kalawakan Elementary School in Doña Remedios Trinidad.
These are part of the 228 tower sites constructed, while 132 more are in the pipeline.
On combating digital scams, Bulacan once again became a launching pad for the initial roll-out of the SIM Card Registration policy of the National Telecommunications Commission.
An initial 2.96 million Bulacan residents registered their existing SIM Cards in April 2023.
Since then, all newly purchased SIM Cards are required to register before entering their commercial use.
This is in line with the implementation of the SIM Card Registration Act, the first legislative piece signed by President Marcos also known as Republic Act 11934.
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