BUTUAN CITY – Five hundred families of the Manobo tribe will benefit from Wi-Fi connectivity established by the Department of Information and Communication Technology-Caraga (DICT-13) in San Miguel, Surigao del Sur.
Far-flung Barangay Bitaugan is now online after the Wi-Fi installation Sunday under DICT’s "Free Wi-Fi for All" digital inclusion program for underserved communities.
"The connectivity has opened up new opportunities for the IP residents in Bitaugan that will bridge them to the digital world," Datu Rico Maca, the Indigenous Peoples (IP) Mandatory Representative of San Miguel, said in an interview on Monday.
Maca, along with the other tribal leaders, witnessed the formal start of the solar-powered Wi-Fi connection in the village.
"The provision of free Wi-Fi has not only connected the people of Bitaugan to the digital landscape but has also laid the foundation for socio-economic development and growth in the IP community," he said.
Datu Arnold Acebedo, municipal tribal chieftain of San Miguel, cited the importance of connectivity in communication and information exchange.
"The free Wi-Fi will also help the barangay leaders in terms of communications and the students in connecting with educational resources," he said. (PNA)
