The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) plans to release P2.5 billion for the government’s free internet access program.
DBM Secretary Amena Pangandaman approved the issuance of a special allocation release order with a first quarter cash allocation notice amounting to P356.2 million for maintenance and other operating expenses of the Department of Information and Communications Technology. Secretary.
More than P2.4 billion of the budget will be allocated for free internet Wi-Fi connectivity in public places. The rest of his P50 million will be earmarked for the connectivity issue of state universities and colleges, he said DBM.
The funds will be charged to the Free Public Internet Access Fund – Special Account of the General Fund (FPIAF-SAGF) under automatic appropriations for fiscal year 2024.
“This expenditure includes the implementation of locally funded projects, including the Free Public Internet Access Program (FPIAP),” DBM said in a statement.
“This funding is critical because the Internet is at the heart of a new era, the digital age. It is the backbone of our modern world. It connects us, makes everything more convenient, educates, It powers the economy, health care, public safety and even government services,” Pangandaman said.
FPIAP includes the construction of information and communications technology (ICT) facilities such as high-capacity networks, middle-mile and last-mile ICT infrastructure, towers, data centers, assets, and other service construction.
FPIAP aims to provide free internet access in public spaces across the country.
