TELECOM giant Globe and the Pasig City government partnered to provide affordable, high-speed internet access to Pasig residents through the GoWiFi and KonekTayo WiFi.

The high-quality connectivity will help residents become more digitally empowered, especially as more resources and services shift to digital in the new normal.

Formerly known as KapitWiFi, KonekTayo WiFi is a fast and secured community WiFi service that aims to provide households with affordable internet. With KonekTayo WiFi, customers simply need to connect to a KonekTayoWiFi hotspot, purchase a promo and then surf all day.

Residents who are on a limited budget or allowance can choose from a variety of affordable prepaid data packs and enjoy the services without having to invest for an additional modem, or spend on monthly fees.

“We are grateful to Globe for initiating this partnership, which will surely be of great help to our constituents. This project complements our current efforts to advance digital equity in the city as we continue to assist our students in online learning, workers in remote working, small businesses in continuing to adapt and families in their daily lives,” Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said.

Five housing projects, or approximately 3,000 households, will be powered by KonekTayo WiFi, including Pasig City Bliss Housing, Eusebio Bliss Village, Pasig City, Maybunga Housing Project, Eusebio Bliss IV Karangalan, and Karangalan Village.

Meanwhile, Globe President and Chief Executive Officer Ernest Cu said the partnership will help Pasigueños thrive despite the challenges brought by the pandemic.

“We are honored to partner with the city of Pasig in enabling better and richer digital experiences through access to user-friendly and cost-effective internet connectivity for every Pasigueño. With this partnership, we can better help the communities in Pasig thrive amid the demands and pressures of the pandemic. More importantly, Pasig is now in a better position to become a 21st century city, and achieve its digital transformation goals,” Cu said.

Meanwhile, KonekTayo WiFi will deploy buses converted into mobile WiFi hubs, equipped with special antennas that broadcast WiFi signal in select areas in the city, as students and workers rely on reliable home internet for learning and working. KonekTayo WiFi via these buses will be available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Sunday at the Ilaya Covered Court, Santolan Big Ampitheatre and Kapitolyo San Joaquin Elementary School.

Under the project, buses equipped with special antennas will broadcast WiFi from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Sunday at the Ilaya Covered Court, Santolan Big Ampitheater and Kapitolyo San Joaquin Elementary School.

The Pasig City Hall will also be powered with GoWiFi so that Pasigueños have easy and reliable access to the internet.

More GoWiFi locations will be available to residents in 2021.

With the partnership, Pasig City is now part of GoWiFi’s over 2,800 hotspots nationwide, enabling users to get connected with up to 100MBps of high-speed internet within the coverage of a GoWiFi site, regardless of network provider.

“This age of the pandemic continues to demand timely, innovative solutions and we remain committed to heeding this call through our digital products and services. The Bus WiFi project is an example of this. By deploying WiFi-enabled buses to neighborhoods that are difficult to reach, we’re able to accelerate internet access especially with the sudden need for accessible connectivity spurred by the pandemic,” Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ayala Corporation and Chairman of Globe Telecom Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said.