The government of Quezon City (QC) is collaborating with a network provider in the Philippines to provide a suite of internet and digital solutions in supporting the connectivity needs of residents and learners and keep them digitally empowered in the new normal. The collaboration includes the expansion of the network provider’s pocket WiFi as well as the activation of portable WiFi, School Bus WiFi and Load Up services throughout the city.
In addition to the 2,000 existing and 1,000 newly on-aired access points, 1,000 Wi-Fi access points will be deployed in several key establishments throughout the city. These will be placed in select hospitals, barangay halls, supermarkets, malls, police and fire stations, and coffee shops to provide more people with access to QC’s E-Services hub.
QC E-Services provides online access to government services in Quebec, making transactions contactless, simpler, and faster. The SMS API developed by the company’s innovative developer community allows the QC Government to send OTP / SMS notifications for its ID registration programme as well as accept electronic payments to the city’s e-services hub.
The fast and secure community WiFi network service will be expanded to the following locations: Bistekville 4, Bistekville 15, Sitio Pingkian, Republic Residences, and Bagong Lipunan Pag-asa Condominium.
This initiative is aimed at accelerating the country’s digital inclusion. These services are part of the company’s ongoing efforts to provide dependable connectivity and educational support to students and teachers while online learning is in place. They recognise the importance of keeping Filipinos connected at a time when many basic services and economic opportunities have moved online.
“One of the core missions of the network provider is to be the leader in building the future of the digital economy in the Philippines. Our long-time partnership with Quezon City and the provision of other reliable network services to the city only prove that we are on the right track. We hope that through this partnership, we can contribute to closing the digital gap and help communities tide over the impacts of COVID-19,” said the company’s Director for Business Development and Marketing, Digital Solutions Group.
To ensure that no student is left behind by online learning, the company has deployed school buses outfitted with special antennas that will provide internet access to teachers and students from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. These buses will be stationed in the barangays of Sta. Lucia (Aguinaldo Street, cor. Lakandula), Commonwealth (Nokia Street, Dona Nicasia Subdivision), Sauyo, and Pasong Tamo (Marcel Village – Himlayan Road).
Furthermore, the company is providing 176,000 data SIM cards for students and 17,582 data SIM cards for elementary school teachers in the city via Load Up, a secure web-based platform that can automatically speed internet prepaid credits to QC Home-Based Learning Programme beneficiaries.
The Mayor of Quezon City expressed her gratitude for the partnership with the company, saying that as everything moves online – schooling, learning, transacting, and connecting – the local government of Quezon City is fortunate to be in partnership with the network provider to assist residents with solutions that can help them access the site conveniently. The mayor added that they were delighted to be a partner with the network to digitally equip every city in the country.
To keep communities safe from online dangers and threats, the company is also collaborating with QC to hold virtual workshops for parents, children, and community leaders as part of its Digital Thumbprint Programme (DTP), which aims to increase netizens’ knowledge of digital citizenship and cybersafety.
Ultimately, the network provider endorses the importance of infrastructure and innovation as significant drivers of economic growth and development as outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals No. 9. The company has pledged to support the ten United Nations Global Compact principles and ten United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
