ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY, Philippines โ For students in geographically isolated communities across Mindanao, free internet access is helping break long-standing barriers to learning.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Region IX has distributed 2,324 free SIM cards to public school students in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Basilan under its Bayanihan SIM Card Program.
Free internet access
Each SIM card has 25 gigabytes of mobile data monthly for one year. It provides students with access to online classes, research materials, and digital learning platforms that were previously difficult to reach due to weak signals, limited devices, and the high cost of mobile data.
โFor learners in geographically isolated communities, free internet access opens doors to online learning, information, and opportunity,โ said DICT Zamboanga Sibugay head Mark Ruelson Gacutan.
Students in remote areas of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, and Basilan have long faced challenges beyond the lack of classrooms and textbooks. Poor connectivity has made online lessons and digital communication nearly impossible for many households.
โThis is a huge help for us, especially now that we are focused on research work as students. It also saves us from spending extra money on mobile load,โ said Harold Palantay, a Grade 12 student of San Antonio National High School in Zamboanga Sibugay and a program beneficiary.
From January 13 to 22, 2026, the DICT IX BASULTA team distributed SIM cards directly to students in remote and underserved schools, Gacutan said.
Beneficiary schools included San Antonio National High School and San Isidro Elementary School in Zamboanga Sibugay; Lope J. Aรฑana Elementary School in Zamboanga del Norte; Guinimanan Elementary School in Zamboanga del Sur; and Bato-Bato Elementary School in Basilan.
Part of broader government program
โThis program is about leveling the playing field for our students. Through the Bayanihan SIM, we are not only providing internet accessโwe are enabling students to participate fully in digital learning and giving them a fair chance to succeed,โ Gacutan said.
The Bayanihan SIM Card Program is part of the governmentโs broader Digital Bayanihan initiative, which aims to bridge the digital divide by expanding connectivity and strengthening digital inclusion, particularly in far-flung communities.
DICT Region IX said the program also helps improve household and community connectivity, enabling better access to information, online government services, and digital resources that support public service delivery, disaster response, and local development.
As the rollout continues, DICT said it remains committed to reaching more learners in hard-to-reach areas, reinforcing the governmentโs push for inclusive digital growth where geography is no longer a barrier to education.
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