Former anti-graft commissioner and Maritime Industry Authority administrator officer-in-charge Atty. Nicasio “Nick” Conti said that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Department of Information and Communications Technology is on the right track in the digital shift via the flagship Project CLICK (Courses for Literacy in Internet and Computer Knowledge).
The Philippine digitization advocate said that the move is in line with their advocacy of having free internet access to all Filipinos across the country.
“Every Filipino should have access to the internet. A strong connection. Because having the internet or data is no longer a luxury but a necessity these days,” Conti, chief of public affairs of Capstone Intel Agency, said.
Earlier, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda said as part of waging a Digital Bayanihan, they turned over 75 laptops to two community colleges in Camarines Sur: 50 units to Governor Mariano E. Villafuerte Community College (GMVCC) in Libmanan, and 25 units to Baao Community College (BCC).
The initiative falls under DICT’s flagship Project CLICK (Courses for Literacy in Internet and Computer Knowledge), which champions the belief that digital access is a basic right — not a privilege.
For students, teachers, non-teaching staff, and even local government workers, these laptops open new pathways to learning, innovation, and opportunity. With enhanced access to digital resources, communities are expected to see improved productivity, better academic outcomes, and a generation of tech-savvy, future-ready Filipinos.
Conti said that the DICT should next target the Visayas especially Mindanao so they can get free access to the internet, something that they will be pushing for.
“We are and will be working hard for everybody to get a free internet access,” Conti said.
Aguda emphasized the importance of this initiative, “Through Project CLICK, we’re turning digital gaps into growth. With every device handed over, we move closer to a Philippines where no one is left offline. This is Digital Bayanihan in action: one click, one community, one future at a time.”
However, the tools are only the beginning, as the DICT is following through with intensive on-site digital training sessions from 2 to 5 June 2025, to ensure that access is matched with capability.
These include the Digital Literacy Training — a 24-hour, four-day course for learners aged 14 and above, focusing on computer basics, Microsoft Office tools and productivity skills.