A total of 2,287 sites in the Bicol Region are offering internet access under the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) Free Wi-Fi for All program.
DICT-5 Director Rachel Ann Grabador said the public now enjoys free internet access in public places across the region.
The sites are not limited to national and local government offices, but also basic education institutions, hospitals, health centers, rural health units, parks, plazas, libraries, barangay reading centers, airports, seaports, and transport terminals.
The DICT has initiatives aimed at Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) in Bicol, bridging the digital divide by connecting remote barangays.
“It enables communities to access essential online services in education, healthcare, disaster response, and local governance. This deployment is part of the government’s broader efforts toward digital inclusion, reinforcing the commitment that no Filipino is left behind in the digital age,” she said.
The DICT-5 utilizes wireless technologies, particularly Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology (e.g., Starlink), to provide high-speed internet access to GIDAs.
As of 2025, around 300 active free Wi-Fi hotspots in the region are powered by LEO satellite connections.