A bill has been filed in the Senate seeking to require the national government to provide free wireless Internet in government buildings, national highways and train stations in Metro Manila.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto's Senate Bill No. 2232 seeks to direct the Information and Communications Technology Office under the Department of Science and Technology to ensure free public Wi-Fi in all government offices, public hospitals, public schools and public parks.

Tollways and expressways, national roads, public transport terminals and mass rail transit stations should also have free Wi-Fi, according to Recto's bill.

Recto said providing free Wi-Fi service in the country's capital region "will ensure that the populace... will be equipped with and honed to using key faculties needed to build an innovative, progressive, and rapidly digitizing economy."

"Similar to the relevance of roads and bridges in stimulating economic activity and in fueling the Philippine economy, so too is the effect of a broadband infrastructure,” Recto said in his measure.

“Connectivity to the Internet will enhance business growth opportunities and will assure citizens in NCR ease of sourcing timely information at the click of a button," he added.

The bill proposes that existing commercial Internet service providers be tapped for the free public Wi-Fi in Metro Manila until such time that a national broadband system has been installed.

The measure seeks to allocate savings from the national budget and available funds from the National Telecommunication Commission for the installation of free public Wi-Fi in Metro Manila.

— NB/TJD, GMA News