DICT’s New ‘Bayanihan SIM’ Project Aims to Boost Internet in Remote Areas

Getting reliable internet in remote parts of the Philippines has always been a challenge, but a new initiative from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is hoping to change that.

Earlier this week, DICT kicked off the pilot run of the Bayanihan SIM program. The goal is simple but impactful: provide free SIM cards with monthly data to help students and their families in far-flung areas get connected.

The launch happened at Kalawakan Elementary School in Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan. Next stops include schools in Masinloc, Zambales and General Luna, Quezon.

Each SIM card comes with 25GB of open-access data per month. During the launch, Globe Telecom helped jumpstart the initiative by distributing SIMs to 500 students, teachers, and parents.

DICT Usec. Christine Faye Condez-de Sagon shared that they plan to distribute around 600,000 SIM cards by the end of the year. By next year, that number should cross 1 million. The overall goal? Reach 5 million Filipinos, all funded by a P3 billion budget under this year’s General Appropriations Act.

Of course, giving out SIMs is only half the battle. Connectivity won’t mean much without strong signal. That’s why telcos have also promised to build more common towers in areas that still don’t have reliable service. These shared towers are part of DICT’s broader push to improve signal infrastructure nationwide.

DICT Secretary Henry Aguda explained that this initiative isn’t just about giving free internet. It’s about jumpstarting digital access in underdeveloped places and eventually helping them build thriving online economies. Once businesses and e-commerce start growing in these areas, residents can sustain their internet usage on their own.

In short, Bayanihan SIM is more than just a tech project. It’s a digital lifeline meant to open up new opportunities in education, livelihood, and growth for communities that have long been left out of the digital world.