The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has rolled out the Bayanihan SIM project to bring internet access to far-flung communities, backed by a P3 billion budget from the national government.

Undersecretary for Special Concerns Christina Faye M. Condez-De Sagon said during a briefing on Thursday that over one million SIM cards bundled with monthly data will be distributed, supported by the construction of new cell towers.

“From our budget for this year, we allocated P3 billion for this project. The expected number of beneficiaries is about 5 million because each SIM card is intended to benefit an entire family,” Sagon said.

Each SIM card includes 25 gigabytes of data that renews monthly for one year, procured at subsidized rates through partnerships with major telecommunications providers. Telcos have also committed to building towers in areas without existing connectivity.

The project, piloted at Kalawakan Elementary School in Doña Remedios Trinidad, a Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA) in Bulacan, is being implemented with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government. 

The government targets the distribution of 600,000 SIM cards this year and 1,008,000 by next year.

Anchored on the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said the initiative promotes digital inclusion by supporting education, livelihood, and access to essential government services.