Angeles City provides free internet access to IP students

ANGELES CITY, Pampanga – The city government here on Wednesday started to provide free internet access to underprivileged students, particularly the indigenous peoples (IPs), in time for the opening of classes on August 24.

Through the Gender and Development Office, the city government installed an internet subscription system at the Sitio Target Integrated School in Barangay Sapang Bato, where most of the students belong to the Aeta community.

Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. said the move is to ensure that no one is left behind when it comes to education amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crisis.

“Public school students will now be connected to the world and digital education will further enhance their knowledge as they seek higher learning. The internet is now an indispensable utility that should be accessed by Angeleños,” Lazatin said in statement.

For this year, the city government has recorded an over collection of PHP5 million for its Special Education Fund (SEF) that will be used for one-month free internet subscription.

The city government will also provide 48,000 tablets to 53 public schools throughout the city for the use of students.

There are 40 elementary public schools and 13 public high schools in the city.

Irish Calaguas, Lazatin’s chief adviser and tactician, earlier said the tablets would not be doled-out to the students, adding that the mayor wants these gadgets to be used exclusively for educational purposes.

“The tablets will be issued to public schools and will be used by the students. At the end of the school year, students need to give that tablets back to the school so that it can still be used in the next school year if needed,” she said.

A total of PHP150 million under the SEF surplus has been allotted for the procurement of the tablets. (PNA)