Cagayan de oro: Northern Mindanao Region has emerged as the leader in Mindanao with the highest number of active free internet access points, as reported by the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) on Monday. During an economic briefing in the city, DICT-10 (Northern Mindanao) Director Sittie Rahma Alawi revealed that the region currently boasts 1,218 internet hotspots through the Free Wi-Fi for All Program. This places Northern Mindanao ahead of the Caraga Region, which has 742 hotspots, and the Davao Region, with 684.
According to Philippines News Agency, Alawi mentioned plans to further expand the network by the end of the year. This expansion aligns with the President’s directive to enhance connectivity in public schools in collaboration with the Department of Education (DepEd). Additionally, the provincial islands of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi are set to receive improvements through the National Broadband Program, in partnership with the Japanese government.
Meanwhile, Ruel Paclipan, Director of the Department of Trade and Industry-10, highlighted the benefits that the region’s improved internet connectivity and infrastructure bring to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). He pointed out that e-commerce platforms have greatly benefited MSMEs, subsequently boosting the logistics industry.
The enhanced e-commerce connectivity has also been advantageous for logistics company Ninja Van. With Northern Mindanao’s economy expected to reach a trillion-peso mark in 2024, growing at a rate of 6.0 percent according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, Ninja Van is poised to capitalize on the opportunities. The company plans to expand Mindanao’s multimodal transport system to cover 95 percent of the island region, excluding Basilan.
Vin Perez, Ninja Van Philippines Country Head, stated that companies capable of consistently delivering across Mindanao are likely to thrive as demand increases. In a related interview, Leo Mendoza, national sales manager of Shell Lubricants Philippines, indicated that their company is also in a development phase, aiming to provide flagship services tailored for the logistics industry supporting the e-commerce economy.
