Leading fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. in partnership with the city government of San Fernando, Pampanga, provided free internet connectivity to three classroom buildings of the Pampanga High School (PHS).

PHS, the largest secondary educational institution in San Fernando City, is the first beneficiary of the Kayabe Ka Free Public Wi-Fi program jointly implemented by Converge and the city government of San Fernando.

In his message during the launch of the program, Converge CEO and Co-Founder Dennis Anthony Uy said that having the right digital infrastructure is key in ensuring the resiliency of schools and education institutions coming from the lockdown.

“Tulad nga ng sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos sa kanyang SONA, nagsisimula ang lahat sa Edukasyon. Kailangan natin palakasin ang isip at kakayahan ng bawat Pilipino. Kaya naman ang learning recovery ay nangunguna sa education agenda. We had a lot of hard-earned lessons during the pandemic. One thing is for sure, we need to make our schools more resilient to adapt to different situations and teaching scenarios – blended, hybrid, or face-to-face. We cannot do this without fast, reliable connectivity,” he said.

“Imagine if we have fast, reliable, and stable internet in all of our schools – half of the class can take their lessons remotely while the other half is reporting from the campuses. The possibilities are endless and the opportunities are bountiful. With the right technology, Philippine education can be improved. We will leave no one behind in this journey, especially our students,” he added.

Meanwhile, San Fernando City Mayor Vilma Caluag said that the partnership will help improve the learning experience of the students in Pampanga High School despite the challenges ahead.

“Isa sa mga proyekto natin ay i-equip ang mga estudyante. Sila ang future natin, and digital na talaga lahat. We have to learn how to be ‘techies’,” said Caluag in her remarks.

Loida Manlaque, vice principal of Pampanga High School, lauded the partnership between Converge and the city government of San Fernando.

“Partnerships like these make a difference in the lives of our students and we want to thank our local government and Converge for making this project possible,” Manlaque said.

Pampanga High School is a five-hectare educational institution that serves more than 13,000 students. Of these, roughly 8,000 are junior high school students, while the remaining 5,000 are in senior high school.

Converge will also be serving other institutions with connectivity under the Kayabe Ka Free Public Wifi program.