Free WiFi project benefits several towns, villages and a city in Quezon

Residents of Barangay 11 in Lucena City pose with Rep. Jayjay Suarez (right) to thank him for the free Wifi project. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — A free WiFi project has enabled residents of several towns and villages in Quezon province to get connected to their families and friends based outside of the province and even abroad.

Started as a small venture in July, 2021, by Peter Daleon, chairman of Barangay 11 in Lucena City, the project not only benefited the residents there but also the staff, patients and visitors of the Quezon Medical Center, the provincial hospital.

Daleon got the project going after a volunteer group, a small tech team whose avowed corporate social responsibility is to set up free Wifi zones in remote areas.

Daleon’s initiative didn’t go unnoticed. In November last year, Rep. Jayjay Suarez of Quezon’s second district cited the project when he led the turnover rites of a new hall for Barangay 11.

“Gagayahin kita Kap sa iyong magandang proyekto na free Wifi sa barangay (I will do this very good free Wifi project too) ,” Suarez said, referring to the towns comprising the province’s second district. These towns are San Antonio, Dolores, Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya and the city of Lucena.

True to his words, Suarez met with Daleon and an IT volunteer a few days later to discuss the project. An agreement was then reached to have the project started immediately.

The project rolled off on Dec. 20 and actually intends to set up 200 Wifi stations within the second district. As of the end of February, 2022, a total of 45 stations in 25 villages in the five towns and in Lucena City have already been set up, providing a free communication platform for the residents. So far, the project has done great impact on education and livelihood of the residents in the covered areas.

It now serves the needs of 15,285 registered users since the project started and the number keeps increasing by the day. Usage has reached over 377,000 logins, with more than 12,100 average logins daily.

“Maganda ang proyekto na ito, kasi marami at malaking tulong sa mga taga Quezon. Ang mga tao ay tumutulong at sumusuporta din para marami ang makikinabang sa free WIFI sa kanilang mga Barangay. Nag share ang maraming indebedual na membro ng barangay sa kanilang mga pasilidad (electricity, connectivity at bahay) para sa kapakanan ng marami. Masaya ako kasi ito ang modernong Bayanihan,” Suarez said in describing the success so far of the project.

(This is a good project that provides big help to the people of Quezon. The residents help and support it so that more people will benefit from the free Wifi project in their barangays. Many of these barangay folk share their facilities like houses, electricity and connectivity. This is what modern bayanihan is, and I’m happy.)

Resident users share Suarez’s elation. Moises Dichoso, a student of Dalahican National High School, said he used to go to neighbors’ homes where there is internet so he could do his online assignments, but now could study at their own house because of the free Wifi station nearby.

“Naalis po ko ng aming bahay tapos nakikiconnect po ako sa ibang bahay para makapag-aral ako. Mahirap po uun kasi po kailagan po gumising ng napakaaga po para makasagap po ng mas malakas na signal ng WiFi. Maganda po itong proyekto na ito kasi po hindi naman po talaga afford ng magulang ko bumili ng WiFi kaya ngayong may Free WiFi na po mas mapapadali po ang pag-oonline class ko,” Dichoso said.

(I used to wake up early so I can go to our neighbor’s house who has internet connection so I can connect too and study my online lessons. Since my parents cannot afford to have Wifi connection, this free Wifi project now helps me facilitate my online studies.)

Lorelyn Caldeo, online seller from Barangay Barra, says the project has provided big help to his work. “Mahirap po pag data po, minsan po nawawala po yung connection pero ngayon may libreng WiFi na po. Malaking tulong po. Anytime pwede nang magpost kasi malakas na yung signal ng Free WiFi, hindi ko na po kailangan magload.”

Dichoso and Caldeo, as well as many residents in the covered areas, have thanked Suarez and his Alona Partylist for undertaking the project and choosing the villages in the five towns as covered areas.

But much needs to be done. So far, the project is about 38 percent complete. Daleon hopes the funds needed for the full completion of the project can be made available soon before the start of the election campaign period for local officials.