Makati to soon get free public WiFi from Globe

Mara Cepeda

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Makati to soon get free public WiFi from Globe
(UPDATED) Globe will provide Internet access to 27 barangay health centers, the University of Makati, the Ospital ng Makati, and city hall

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Key locations in Makati City, including 27 barangay health centers, will soon have free Internet access from Ayala-led Globe, on top of the existing Makati Public Wi-Fi Project.

On Tuesday, October 22, Mayor Abby Binay signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Globe chief executive officer Ernest Cu to provide free Globe GoWiFi access to residents living in 27 out of 33 barangays in the city. 

Globe is expected to put up WiFi hotspots in 27 barangay health centers, the University of Makati, Ospital ng Makati, and the city hall. 

But only Globe prepaid and TM subscribers may avail of this free Internet access whenever they register for certain promos worth P50. They would also have to be within the vicinity of the WiFi hotspot.

“Globe Prepaid and TM customers in Makati can enjoy 1 gigabyte of free GoWiFi for every registration of GoSAKTO, GoSURF, and EasySURF worth P50 and above that they can use in any GoWiFi hotspot in the city,” said Cu in a statement.

Dubbed as the Makatizen GoWiFi, the city government’s partnership with Globe is aimed to complement the ongoing Internet access provided in 27 barangays by Neo-Converge ICT Solutions under the free public wi-fi launched in the city in 2017. 


 

“I would like to personally thank Globe because I think my vision for the city would not have come into fruition if it were not for the cooperation and the trust of Globe to support programs that we have instituted on my first term, most specially the Makatizen card,” said Binay in a brief speech during the MOA signing. 

Binay was referring to the all-in-one card she launched in 2017 for Makati residents, whom she calls as Makatizens. (READ: In Abby Binay’s Makati, there are free cakes but no sugarcoating)

Through the Makatizen card, residents are able to access city government services, pay fees and taxes, and even receive cash allowances, stipends, and other monetary benefits.

During the program on Tuesday, Binay also gave the 100,000th Makatizen card to 66-year-old Zenaida Peralta. 

The mayor of the country’s richest local government unit (LGU) then said her flagship projects in Makati should serve as a “wake-up” call for other LGUs on the potential of becoming a smart city.

“Let us embrace technology. Let us understand how technology can make our lives easier and at the same time, the social responsibility component of all these technologies – having to filter what is fake, what is real on the Internet, responsible posting on the Internet, cyberbullying, fake news,” said Binay. 

Also present during the MOA singing on Tuesday were Binay’s husband and Makati 1st District Representative Luis Campos, Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo, City Administrator Claro Certeza, and Globe executives Peter Maquera, Bernard Liamzon, and Janis Racpan. – Rappler.com

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Mara Cepeda

Mara Cepeda specializes in stories about politics and local governance. She covers the Office of the Vice President, the Senate, and the Philippine opposition. She is a 2021 fellow of the Asia Journalism Fellowship and the Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship of the UN. Got tips? Email her at mara.cepeda@rappler.com or tweet @maracepeda.