Cebu City aims to provide free wifi for all in various key locations.
Photo by Frederik Lipfert on Unsplash
In today’s technology-driven era, connectivity is a necessity. Billions of people worldwide scour the web every second for whatever they may need.
The internet offers instant information, communication, and access to digital resources that provide convenience and security. The average consumer can definitely see the value in having access to the internet.
The local government unit understands this, as they are initiating a project to offer affordable and accessible internet connection along the streets of Cebu. Now, the Queen City of the South offers free wifi for all!
It was first revealed a day after the Sinulog Festival in 2025, installed at the Plaza Sugbo where the Magellan’s Cross, the Cebu City Hall, and the Basilica del Sto. Niño are located.
This was later extended to the nearby Plaza Independencia, which is popularly used by students where they meet and practice for school performances or to finish their projects.
Improved education is the project’s main goal, as it provides convenient research and study materials to public school students. The local government had initially installed free wifi for all inside 26 public schools prior to adding it to the Plaza Sugbo.
The access points at the Cebu City landmarks, on the other hand, are the first for public use. These areas are primarily for tourists who may need the internet to search for places to go.
Its end goal is to shell out free wifi to at least 80 Cebu City barangays, including those in mountainous areas.
Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said in an interview with Sunstar Cebu that the project promotes digital convenience for the public, noting their goal of expanding digital accessibility. (2025)
It is the first step to making Cebu a “smart city”.
USING FREE WIFI FOR ALL IN CEBU
The bandwidth for the free wifi points was provided by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), who has since provided free wifi for all, all around the country.
The city government reiterated that the public wifi can easily accommodate a large crowd. They have not confirmed an average internet speed, but they did mention that its four monopoles can potentially accommodate over 1,000 users.
They must connect to the network “Cebu City Government”, and log in to the Access Point page. Each user is entitled to an hour of use at the Plaza Independencia, and two hours at the Plaza Sugbo per day.
This limitation was implemented in order to prevent users from abusing the free service and to maintain an adequate internet speed. The government reminds users to be responsible with the service, especially because of how limited it is.
A GAME CHANGER
A story published in the Manila Standard mentioned the many issues regarding internet connection in the Philippines, noting how it still lags behind other Asian countries. (2024)
A 2022 study by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) ranked the Philippines as the third worst in terms of mobile data affordability at 47.01 out of 100.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) also states that affordable internet should cost below two percent of the average wealth of a single citizen. In the case of the Philippines, its gross national income stood at $3,837 (around Php 223,950) in 2022, according to a report from the Philippine Star.
Based on ITU’s description, an average Filipino household must allocate around Php 4,200 a year to subscribe to basic internet, and with prices increasing, this could be difficult for many.
At the same time, internet speed in the Philippines has always been an issue, with the Worldwide Broadband Speed League ranking the country the 86th out of 220 countries in terms of average download speed at 43.36 mbps.
This is more difficult in some rural areas, as the fastest broadband speed available is at 40 mbps, with others going as low as 10 mbps.
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The free wifi for all access points helps solve two crucial problems the country is facing: expensive mobile data costs and reliable internet speed. They provide a reliable connection that one does not need to pay for.
It’s the city’s first step to getting competitive in today’s digital age, especially with more locations that are beginning to adapt. Locals are looking forward to being able to access one of the world’s most important resources with ease.
