Newly appointed DICT Secretary Robert Joseph Montes de Claro inherits a nationwide connectivity program with more than 1,600 reported offline sites, an expansion target of 20,000 locations by year-end, and an ongoing Ombudsman investigation into alleged “ghost internet” projects.

More than 1,600 sites under the government’s Free Wi-Fi for All program are reportedly offline, placing the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s connectivity initiative under renewed scrutiny as newly appointed Secretary Robert Joseph Montes de Claro begins reviewing the agency’s projects, budgets and procurement.

The figure, reported by Malaya Business Insight and cited in subsequent coverage, comes as the department targets 20,000 Free Wi-Fi sites by the end of 2026, up from approximately 12,000 currently installed.

De Claro took his oath as ad interim DICT secretary on October 13, replacing Henry Aguda, who resigned amid an ongoing Ombudsman investigation into alleged irregularities involving government-funded internet and connectivity projects. De Claro has pledged a thorough review of the department’s transactions and said he intends to establish a clear plan for the agency within three months.

The reported number of offline sites raises questions about the reliability of existing public internet infrastructure as the department pursues further expansion. However, an offline site is not, by itself, proof of a “ghost internet” project or evidence that public funds were improperly spent.

New Secretary Inherits Connectivity and Accountability Challenges

De Claro said the department currently has around 12,000 Free Wi-Fi sites and aims to increase that number to 20,000 by the end of the year.

He also acknowledged the need for closer monitoring to ensure installed equipment remains operational, including coordination with service providers.

“I’ll have a thorough review of all the projects, budgets, and procurement in the DICT,” de Claro said following his appointment, according to BusinessMirror.

The challenge extends beyond expanding the number of locations. The program must also deliver functioning internet access to the communities it is intended to serve.

Implemented under Republic Act No. 10929, or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, the initiative provides public internet access in locations such as schools, barangay halls, plazas and health centers. Offline facilities can limit access to online learning, government services and other digital resources, particularly in communities where alternative connections may be limited.

The reported figure of more than 1,600 offline sites was attributed to DICT monitoring in Malaya coverage. Because the status of individual locations can change, the number should be checked against the department’s live monitoring system before being treated as a current total.

Public Dashboard Tracks Free Wi-Fi Performance

DICT opened its Network Monitoring System Version 2, or NMS V2, dashboard to the public in September, allowing users to check the availability and performance of monitored Free Wi-Fi sites.

The system displays information on connectivity status, uptime, reported incidents and service-level agreement compliance. Users can examine monitored locations by region, province and municipality.

The department said inactive or non-performing sites are subject to technical audits and potential contractual sanctions. It also encouraged the public to report connectivity problems through the 1326 Citizen Complaint Center, email and the eGovPH application’s eReport function.

The dashboard gives citizens and journalists a means of checking whether public internet facilities are operating as intended. It can also help distinguish isolated service interruptions from persistent performance problems.

However, identifying an offline site does not automatically establish why it stopped working or whether a contractor failed to meet its obligations. Determining responsibility may require technical inspections, contract reviews and verification of the services delivered and payments made.

The department has not disclosed, in the reporting cited here, a complete breakdown of the more than 1,600 reported offline locations, the reasons for each outage or the total value of contracts associated with them.

Ombudsman Investigates Alleged “Ghost Internet” Projects

The offline-site figures have emerged alongside an Ombudsman fact-finding investigation into alleged irregularities in government connectivity and information technology projects.

Investigators are examining whether contracted internet sites were installed and functioning, whether the government paid for services that were never delivered, whether hardware and software were overpriced or did not meet specifications, and who authorized payments for potentially incomplete projects.

The inquiry also concerns allegations that some government IT systems may have been equipped with cheaper, outdated or potentially counterfeit software despite contracts specifying different products.

The DICT has welcomed the investigation and offered to provide records, technical information and other assistance. The department has also emphasized the need for publicly funded technology projects to deliver the services and benefits promised to Filipinos.

The investigation remains at the fact-finding stage. No final findings of liability have been announced in the cited reports.

The distinction is important because an offline Free Wi-Fi site could result from several causes, including equipment failure, power interruptions, maintenance delays or contractual nonperformance. Establishing whether a particular location is connected to the alleged scheme requires evidence beyond its reported offline status.

NTC Tests Find 29 Underperforming Mobile Test Points

Separately, the National Telecommunications Commission has ordered mobile operators to address service deficiencies after joint quality-of-service tests found 29 unsatisfactory test points among 142 locations examined in Metro Manila.

The tests covered selected locations in Quezon City, San Juan, Pasig and Taguig. Of the 142 test campaigns, 113 recorded download speeds of at least 50 megabits per second, while 29 fell short of the benchmark. The results followed earlier enforcement actions against mobile operators over service quality.

DITO recorded the highest individual download speed at 422 Mbps along Bonny Serrano Avenue in Quezon City. Globe and Smart recorded peak speeds of 381 Mbps and 377 Mbps, respectively, in Mandaluyong.

The tests also identified weak spots. DITO recorded no measurable download speed outside Farmers Market in Cubao, while Globe registered 11.10 Mbps at a location in Pasig. Smart recorded 6.32 Mbps along a route from Mandaluyong toward Taguig.

The NTC expressed concern over the 29 unsatisfactory points and directed operators to address the deficiencies. Daily penalties of ₱100,000 remain in effect under the earlier enforcement orders pending further testing, according to BusinessMirror.

These results provide a broader view of connectivity challenges but should not be conflated with the DICT’s Free Wi-Fi program. The NTC tested selected mobile network locations, while the DICT figures concern public Wi-Fi sites monitored under a separate government program.

Neither set of figures, on its own, establishes the cause of the other’s performance problems.

Reliability Will Matter Alongside Expansion

De Claro’s immediate challenge is to expand public connectivity while establishing whether existing installations are delivering reliable service.

The target of 20,000 sites by year-end provides a measurable expansion goal. The reported offline locations, meanwhile, highlight the need to verify that installed infrastructure remains functional and that contractors meet their obligations.

The public NMS V2 dashboard offers one mechanism for monitoring performance, while the Ombudsman’s investigation may help establish whether any contracts involved undelivered services, improper payments or other irregularities.

For communities relying on public internet access, the practical measure of success is not simply how many sites are installed, but whether those sites provide usable connectivity when people need it.

As the new secretary reviews the department’s projects and procurement, the key questions are how quickly offline facilities can be restored, what caused the outages, and whether technical audits and contract enforcement will lead to sustained improvements.

The more than 1,600 reported offline sites represent a significant monitoring challenge for the DICT, but determining whether they reflect routine service problems or contractual failures will require site-level verification. De Claro’s review, the department’s monitoring data and the ongoing Ombudsman investigation will help clarify the scale of the problem and the steps needed to address it.

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