Connected Communities, Shared Heritage

A minority community and a local governance facility in Maguindanao, Mindanao, Philippines were the latest sites to be added to the growing list with free high-speed internet access, as enabled by satellite connectivity. The activation of these sites represent the initial cooperation between ACCESS Mindanao and unconnected.org. 

Internet and access to telecommunications services in the area remains to be a challenge given the long history of civil conflict in the area; however, with practical and easily deployable solutions such as satellite technology, the digital divide seems to be a challenge that is steadily being addressed. 

In a statement, Dr. Rogel Mari Sese, Director of ACCESS Mindanao, said: "This initiative was made possible with the support of the American People through the U.S. Agency for International Development's Better Access and Connectivity (USAID-BEACON), unconnected.org, and Ateneo de Davao University's (AdDU) persisting advocacy in empowering communities to be connected to the evolving digital landscape and closing the digital divide. Effective and sustainable community models are essential for transforming communities by delivering the advantages of space technology to Filipinos where it is needed the most."

The model allows the community to organize themselves as an economic unit, to be able support free access for students and learners, while the connectivity is socialized among users affordably, mirroring shared heritage among connected communities.