Davao City looms as free Wifi zone - report

Davao City may soon loom as a haven for Internet users as local businessmen are considering making it a free wireless Internet access (Wifi) zone. Online news site MindaNews (www.mindanews.com) reported Sunday that this will be the main agenda of participants to the sixth Mindanao Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Congress on October 23 to 24. Congress special events chairman Bert Barriga said they would push for the passing of a resolution to urge telecommunication companies and government agencies, including the local government, to make the city a Wifi zone. He said that as a free Wifi zone, Davao City will become more attractive to investments and will be at par with other cities in Asia such as Singapore, which is also a free Wifi zone. Wifi access, he said, has become a basic requirement for business and it will be lucrative for business in Davao City once implemented. “It will put Davao City on the ICT map," he said. Barriga, manager of Davao City’s NCCC Mall, is vice president of ICT Davao, one of the congress’ three-partner organizers. ICT Davao, the Mindanao Business Council and the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., have mulled pushing for Davao City as ICT hub of Mindanao. He added that while telecommunications firms may initially dislike the idea, “it is enough that we lay the ground work for this vision." At present, some malls and big business establishments have put up wireless Internet technology but provide limited access. He said if Davao becomes a free Wifi zone, other business establishments can just buy the needed equipment to gain access. Oliver Robillo, chairman of the Regional Development Council-XI’s ICT Cluster, recognized the need for the support of the telecommunication companies to avoid further infrastructure adjustments. - GMANews.TV