Philippines rolls out 400,000 sim cards for digital inclusion campaign

It provides free mobile data to students, teachers, and low-income families in remote or underserved areas.

The Philippines' Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and Globe have distributed more than 400,000 Bayanihan SIM cards to beneficiaries across over 1,200 public schools under a government connectivity programme.

DICT has received 500,400 SIM cards for nationwide distribution through the Bayanihan SIM Project.

The Bayanihan SIM is a government-backed digital inclusion project that provides free mobile data to students, teachers, and low-income families in remote or underserved areas to support online learning and public digital services. It aims to expand mobile access for public school learners, teachers, and eligible Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program households identified through the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Each SIM card provides 25GB of monthly mobile data to support access to education platforms, digital government services, communication tools, e-wallets, and other online resources.

Carl Cruz, CEO and President of Globe, said connectivity has become essential for learning, communication, and access to opportunities.

“Through the Bayanihan SIM Project, we are proud to stand alongside the DICT in helping make digital access more inclusive so that more Filipinos, wherever they are, can benefit from the opportunities that connectivity creates,” Cruz added.

The project has reached communities including the Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area of Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan, where the initiative was first launched.

It also reached underserved areas such as Palawan, Lanao del Sur, and South Cotabato.