Free Wi-Fi Backbone Awarded, Connectivity Providers for 867 Municipalities Sought

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The photo above is the Chinese Garden in Luneta, one of several areas in Rizal park where the DEpartment of Science and Technology (DOST) – Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Office’s Free Wi-Fi Internet access in Public Places Project is have a pilot run. Soon, public places like parks, town plazas, schools and government offices in 967 municipalities will have Free Wi-Fi Internet Access.

The Free Wi-Fi Internet Access in Public Places Project of the Department of Science and Technology’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Office has awarded data connectivity for fourteen Points of Presence (PoP’s) of the project to a Joint Venture of Innove Communications and Yondu Solutions, both subsidiaries of Globe Telecom, for a sum of PHP 74,844,000. These PoPs are slated to serve as the backbone and distribution hubs for Internet connectivity for the 967 municipalities connected under the project.

Fourteen POPs are distributed in the country’s three island groups and are located in the following areas: Luzon – 1) Tugegarao City, Cagayan; 2) Dagupan City, Pangasinan; 3) San Fernando City, Pampanga; 4) Lipa/Batangas City, Batangas; 5) Legazpi City, Albay; 6) Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Visayas – 7) Iloilo City, Iloilo; 8) Cebu City, Cebu; 9) Calbayog City, Samar; 10) Tacloban City, Leyte; Mindanao – 11) Cagayan De Oro City, Misamis Oriental; 12) Pagadian City, ARMM; 13) Davao City, Davao del Sur; 14) Zamboanga City, Zamboanga. The original plan to use Butuan City as one of the POPs was changed to Cagayan de Oro City to maximize the coverage area needed by the project. 

Groups Ask PH Gov’t to Bring Canadian Case to Basel Secretariat

Wazzup Pilipinas!

After the announcement from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that it will lodge a diplomatic protest with the Canadian government over the illegal waste shipment they sent to the Philippines, environmental watchdogs Basel Action Network (BAN) and BAN Toxics (BT) today called on the DFA and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to alert the Implementation and Compliance Committee (ICC) at the Basel Convention regarding Canada’s negligence to the treaty.

The Terms of Reference of the Mechanism for Promoting Implementation and Compliance provides that a “Party that has concerns or is affected by a failure to comply with and/or implement the Convention’s obligations” may submit these concerns to the ICC. BAN and BT are asking the Philippines to not just lodge a protest but to tell Canada that they are taking the case to the ICC if Canada continues its disregard to the Convention.

“The Philippine government needs to do more than just protest in this case,” said BT Executive Director Atty. Richard Gutierrez. “It is in the government’s best interest and the interest of the global community to ensure that this dumping will not happen again and that no other countries should suffer the indignity that we are experiencing because of Canada’s non-compliance. The ICC can help ensure this.”

The DFA said it is still waiting for some documents from the DENR and the Bureau of Customs to back its note verbale to the Canadian Embassy. 

Geeks on a Beach Returns to Boracay

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) turns 3 this year and a lot has been said and even more has been learned. It's time to put all of the learnings to the test, are we ready? Let's all find out: Sink or swim, as they say!

The geeks are going back to the one of the World's best - BORACAY BEACH, BABY! Where the sand is like powder and orange sunset has power. Boracay, with its pristine seas and world-class amenities, is the perfect place for this year's conference.

Geeks on a Beach is the honest-to-goodness, no holds-barred conference where people speak the truth about startups, tech and design.

Real people come to GOAB. People with dreams. Those that are looking to get started. The ones that are trying to make it over the hump. Those that have something important to say. Talented, forward-thinking, good people.

Heroes have come to hang out by the beach. BUSINESS people. Investors. Founders. Founders' buddies. Hotshot designers. Smart-a Developers. And you know what the good part about it is? Everybody gets a chance to speak up. You know what's even better? Nobody has to be forced to dress up. GOAB has cracked the code to the perfect half and half of events - important exchange of ideas in an environment that is not daunting. So leave your long-sleeved plaid shirts AT HOME, pack your tank tops and short shorts and book your flights for Boracay for August 20 and 21, 2015!

The main event is two days but the activities happen over four days. There are pre-event get-togethers and welcome drinks. Workshops and training sessions. Networking and pitching events. Product demonstrations. Breakout talks for niche interests (bring out your flying drones!). Post-event demos and fun group activities. All centered around the invaluable ideas that will be SHARED in the keynote talks.