Grants:PEG/WM PH/Wikipedia on-the-go

Withdrawn

This was a submission to the Project and Event Grants Program from an group, organization, or individual in 2013-14, but was withdrawn by that group, organization, or individual before a funding decision was delivered.

• See the discussion page of this grant request for more information.
• Since this grant was withdrawn, no report is required and no further action is required from the grantee.

Legal name of chapter

Wikimedia Philippines, Inc.

Grant contact name

Roel Balingit

Grant contact username or email

Namayan / roel.balingit@wikimedia.org.ph

Grant contact title (position)

Treasurer

Project lead name

Roel Balingit

Project lead username or email

roel.balingit@wikimedia.org.ph

Project lead title (position), if any

Treasurer

Full project name

Wikipedia On-the-Go

Amount requested in USD or local currency (USD will be assumed if no other currency is specified)

Provisional target start date

June 30, 2012

Provisional completion date

December 31, 2012

Project goal

File:WMPH wpotg handles.jpg

Strap handles in Manila's light rail trains

The goal of Wikipedia On-the-Go is to provide public train commuters a doze of information from Wikipedia whenever they ride the trains. It aims to create an impact in a country where internet penetrations is a low 30 percent. Providing the public information without going online would create interest for them to read further (and go online) especially if the stub of information they got is not sufficient to satisfy their thirst for new information. It also plans to gather the best Wikipedia articles whose content has been verified to be "accurate" or meeting the standards of Wikipedia editing, and dispel public perception that Wikipedia can not to be relied upon.

It also aims to increase the awareness of local language Wikipedias (Tagalog, Waray-Waray, Cebuano, Kapampangan, Central Bicolano, Pangasinan, Ilokano, and Chavacano) as some slots would be reserved for local language Wikipedia articles.

It also aims to utilize the ad spots whenever they are not being leased for advertising so they have filler in between ad leasing contracts.

Project scope and list of activities

Rough layout of stub Wikipedia article to be used

Light Rail Transit (LRT) line 2 traverses through the Manila's University Belt, a section of Manila where colleges and universities are concentrated. The ridership of LRT 2 averaged 250,000 in 2010 commuters[1] most of whom are students.

WMPH will try to enter into a deal/agreement with the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) and its advertising arm to make use of these strap handles ad spots whenever it is not being leased for ad space for free or for a very minimal cost. So rather than being empty they will have some "filler" Wikipedia articles to provide the commuting public some information material.

Each strap handle would contain stubs of unique featured articles from the English Wikipedia and possibly from Philippine language Wikipedias (Tagalog, Waray-Waray, Cebuano, Kapampangan, Central Bicolano, Pangasinan, Ilokano, and Chavacano). As Manila is the melting pot of the diverse linguistic groups, there would certainly be a market for each Wikipedia language project. In this way it will be unlikely for someone to encounter the same article every time they ride the trains. As articles would be a stub, it will either have a QR code or the hyperlink to the article online for their further reading.

In a nutshell, work would be in phases:

• Forging an agreement with the Light Rail Transportation Authority to avail these ad spots for free/for a very minimal cost
• Gather all the articles to be featured (as much as possible each strap handle will be unique) and generation of QR codes
• Lay out the articles
• Printing of the articles (would have to be commercially printed)
• Installation (which may already be outsourced to the advertising arm of LRTA)

Fit to strategy

This project is set to:

• Increase the reach of Wikipedia – Internet penetration in the Philippines remains relatively low at 30% of the population as of 2010[2]. The proliferation of internet shops in practically every street corner of Manila is an indication that private computer ownership and internet access is still limited. In a society which does not have sufficient infrastructure to make Wikipedia accessible we have to device alternative ways of reaching out to the public through other methods.
  
• Increase participation – The Philippines accounts for 0.9% of Wikipedia viewers and 0.6% Wikipedia editors in 2011. The Chapter intends to aggressively promote and create awareness of local language Wikipedias to help spur their growth in order to increase viewership and editorship. Practically only the Tagalog Wikipedia has been registering a steady growth in number of articles and editors. Since the project would also allocate for featured articles in local language Wikipedias, it will create an awareness that Wikipedia is also available in Philippine languages.