Mayor urges DICT: Resolve connectivity issues

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival pressed the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to take immediate action on connectivity gaps in Central Visayas, stressing that poor or nonexistent telecommunications signals continue to disadvantage schools and communities in remote areas.

Archival made the appeal during the Regional Development Council (RDC) Infrastructure Development Committee’s second quarter meeting earlier this week at the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev)-7 RDC Hall in Sudlon, Lahug.

Addressing government officials and infrastructure stakeholders, Archival emphasized that teachers and students in underserved areas struggle daily with limited access to communication services.

“We also emphasized the need for reliable connectivity, especially in remote and underserved communities where limited signal continues to affect residents, students, and teachers,” Archival said.

He urged DICT and partner agencies to deliver a concrete action plan to ensure reliable connectivity reaches all communities, aligning with the meeting’s theme, “Achieving Seamless and Inclusive Connectivity.”

Archival said the meeting also reviewed a wide range of infrastructure priorities, including mass transportation studies, flood control measures, relocation and socialized housing projects, dam construction, and rehabilitation of facilities damaged by earthquakes and Typhoon Tino.

Updates were presented by the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Land Transportation Office, and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, among others.

These initiatives are part of the RDC’s broader push to secure more than P1.8 trillion worth of investments under the 2026–2027 Regional/National Investment Programming cycle. The projects include road widening, port development, irrigation reservoirs, school-building programs, specialty medical centers, and climate resiliency programs.

While Central Visayas continues to advance projects in transport, housing, and disaster resilience, he underscored that communities cut off from reliable communication services risk being left behind.

By pressing DICT to act, Archival highlighted that true regional progress depends not only on roads, ports, and flood control systems but also on bridging the digital divide.

“Through stronger collaboration among government agencies and stakeholders, we can continue building a more connected, resilient, and inclusive Central Visayas,” Archival said. — /MRM (FREEMAN)