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Philippine
Non-Gov't. Orgs Tackle Digital Divide
By Faye V Ilogon, Metropolitan Computer Times
MANILA, PHILIPPINES,
01 Feb 2001, 7:52 AM CST
In a pioneering effort to address the digital divide in the
Philippines, two non-government organizations (NGOs) have
launched the first community-based free Internet e-mail
project in the country.
The PH Domain Foundation, the social outreach arm of the local
PH domain registry, launched the first community-based free
Internet e-mail project in Gumaca, Quezon last Jan. 25, 2001.
This venture is also backed by the Tañada Para sa Tao (TAPAT)
Foundation headed by Representative Wigberto Tañada of the
Quezon province's fourth district.
The project coverage includes all of the 451 barangays that
comprise the district (with a total membership of 37, 718
people), all of which are members of TAPAT.
Envisioned to be the precursor of an Internet market utopia
where more rural areas are connected and more people use the
Internet, the program seeks to provide free e-mail services to
residents of remote rural areas, with area-based organizations
as project partners.
The e-mail service installed in Gumaca, Quezon is a POP3
e-mail system where electronic missives are viewed through any
POP3 client software like Outlook Express, Eudora Lite, Eudora
Pro, or Netscape Messenger. It can be viewed in a browser
through the LAN by way of the software, World Client. The
availability of Internet access is in accordance with TAPAT's
office hours. Initially, the project concentrated on providing
free e-mail and its attendant features like mail lists.
However, after initial testing of the system and assessment
access rates, the PH Domain Foundation proposed to enable one
unit (out of the three running in the TAPAT office) for
Internet surfing. The PH Foundation takes care of the
technical details like seeing to hardware requirements, making
the computers network-ready, providing free e-mail access,
conducting tutorials, as well as giving technical support.
TAPAT takes on the maintenance of the system, promotion of
e-mail use among their constituents, management of the project
at the local level such as scheduling and negotiating
community service arrangements with users in exchange of free
usage of the e-mail system.
For the first quarter of 2001, the PH Domain Foundation has
also identified other remote areas for replication of the
project in the provinces of Aurora, Batanes, Ifugao, and
Ilocos Sur.
Aside from TAPAT, the PH Domain Foundation is open to
partnering with community-based organizations, whether they
are NGOs, cooperatives, or socio-civic, educational,
religious, or media groups.
Reported by Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com.
(Readers' Contacts: Roni Briones, PH Domain, Foundation,
phones +632 6312909, 6354152, fax +632 6327319, e-mail info@phdomain.org.ph;
Mr. Lito Decepeda, Municipal Coordinator for TAPAT - Quezon,
e-mail lito@tapat.org.ph/WIRES
ONLINE, BUSINESS, ASIA/)
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