The Ministry of Telecommunications and the Information Society (MINTEL) announced on April 14 the opening of a new Free Digital Point (Punto Digital Gratuito, PDG) in Río Canoa, San Vicente canton, Manabí. The event was attended by Ricardo Gutiérrez, Vice Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, and Aurora Valle, Governor of Manabí.
This initiative aims to improve digital access for more than 660,000 residents in the province. With this addition, there are now 77 operational digital spaces across Manabí that have received over one million visits and provided more than 64,000 training sessions in all 22 cantons.
During the inauguration ceremony held in Río Canoa community, Gutiérrez said: “este centro es un espacio tecnológico, que se constituye en un puente hacia el progreso con acciones concretas para reducir la brecha digital. Hoy, Manabí cuenta con 77 herramientas reales de desarrollo, donde cada ciudadano, desde niños hasta emprendedores, puede transformar su futuro, a través del conocimiento.”
Governor Valle also addressed attendees about the significance of expanding digital opportunities: “Con la inauguración de este Punto Digital Gratuito, acercamos oportunidades, conocimiento y tecnología a nuestra gente, reafirmando el compromiso del Gobierno Nacional de construir un país más equitativo, donde nadie se quede atrás en el acceso a la educación y a las herramientas del futuro.”
The new PDG is located on the main road of Río Canoa parish and is designed to serve rural residents with free access to over 400 information technology training topics. Services include online government procedures through Gob.EC platforms; school support; coworking areas; and digital literacy programs.
Nationwide there are now 988 Free Digital Points that have registered more than eleven million visits. Officials say these centers help build an inclusive technological ecosystem for Ecuadorian families.
