DIGITAL LITERACY AND INTERNET MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY TRAININGS

By: Engr. Rex Aguila Ms. Mary Joy Rivera

To continue the DICT’s mission to bridge the digital divide in the country, the DICT Free WiFi for All Program under the Capacity Development Team provided Digital Literacy (DL) and Internet Media and Information Literacy (IMIL) trainings for specialized sectors around CALABARZON.

The DL trainings provide basic information on ICT-related subject that will help enhance the knowledge of participants and provide them with opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. It has various modules that will be suitable to the needs of the trainees. While, the IMIL training is designed to orient people about the Internet and its uses, applications, and benefits to the public. It specifically aims to provide information on the Free WiFi Internet usage and applications. In 2022, the capacity development team successfully trained 10,261 participants and conducted 45 DL Trainings and 34 IMIL Trainings for the specialized sectors from Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Indigenous People (IPs), Senior Citizen, and Municipal Youths in the region. The trainings always leave an important and essential knowledge where the trainees were always thankful for the effort and prioritization given to them to learn, to explore and be literate on the ICT and gave them the confidence and understanding against the challenges of our Technology-phase era.

MORE FREE WIFI SITES ARE NOW ACTIVATED IN THE STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES (SUCS) WITHIN THE CALABARZON REGION!

The year 2022 is the year that we are recovering and stated to adopt the New Normal brought about by the COVID-19 Pandemic. With this, we are slowly transitioning from remote or online activities to blended approach. The Free WiFi for All program prioritizes the SUCs and its eager students to help them cope up with blended learning and face-to-face classes. The Free WiFi for All program activated the Free WiFi sites at various SUCs in CALABARZON in order to prioritize the schools and its eager students to support them in adopting the blended learning and face-to-face classes in the new normal. Together with the activation of the Free WiFi sites, the program launched 40 locations with 180 access points around the region in partnership with the various school institutions and Local Government Units. These campaign activities at different schools and colleges proved to be helpful in emphasizing the value and in providing essential details of the program.

MERRY WORKING CHRISTMAS: DICT’S ONLINE KAMUSTAHAN SA PAARALAN SA GIDAs

Despite and in line with the holiday seasons, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. graced the event entitled, “DICT's Online Kamustahan sa Paaralan sa Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs)”. Through the Broadband ng Masa, PBBM and DICT Secretary, Atty. Ivan John E. Uy, together with DICT Executives and Regional Directors virtually marched in full force in line with DICT's aim of connecting schools in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas.

Our very own DICT Region IV-A, spearheaded by Director Cheryl C. Ortega, is honored to have served as the platform by which GIDA school in Villa Espina, in Lopez, Quezon is now connected.