BUTUAN CITY: The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) 13 (Caraga) has announced a remarkable achievement of a 96 percent penetration rate for its Free WiFi program. This milestone comes with the establishment of 791 access points across the five provinces of the region as of November 15. According to Philippines News Agency, the announcement was made during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum, where Lawrence Salang, the DICT-13 chief of technical operations division, highlighted the program's impact. The initiative is designed to provide residents with improved access to online education, communication, and essential government services, thereby fostering a more connected community. The distribution of access points includes 246 in Surigao del Norte, 172 in Surigao del Sur, 113 in Agusan del Norte, 89 each in Agusan del Sur and Butuan City, and 82 in the Dinagat Islands. The program has notably achieved 100 percent municipal penetration in Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, the Dinagat Islands, and Butuan City. It has also reached 92 percent in Agusan del Norte and 86 percent in Agusan del Sur. Salang emphasized, 'The DICT-13 is committed to building an inclusive environment where individuals can leverage technology, regardless of socio-economic status.' This commitment is further reflected in the program's efforts beyond public WiFi hotspots, as it has successfully connected 84 national government agencies, 13 local government offices, two state universities, 11 public schools, and three public health facilities. In addition to connectivity, DICT-13 has been active in facilitating local governance. From November 10 to 16, they conducted modules for 40 local government units (LGUs), focusing on business permits, building and occupancy certifications, working permits, and fire code fee registrations. Furthermore, DICT-13 has made strides in cybersecurity and ICT competency. The department conducted 100 advocacy seminars attended by 7,681 individuals and reached 3,250 participants through 99 training sessions aimed at enhancing ICT skills across the region.