Students at a public school in Siargao Island receive free SIM cards on Feb. 11, 2026 through the Department of Information and Communications Technology Digital Bayanihan SIM Project under the Free Wi-Fi for All Program. Photo courtesy of DICT-13.
At least 60 public schools in far-flung areas of the Caraga Region were included in the Digital Bayanihan SIM Project under the government’s Free Wi-Fi for All Program, the Department of Information and Communications Technology said.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) reported that around 15,768 students from the covered schools directly benefited from the initiative aimed at improving internet access in underserved communities.
Program focal person Judy Rose Saguidon said in an interview on Wednesday that the project was designed to make connectivity more accessible, especially for learners in remote and island areas.
She explained that the SIM distribution allowed students and teachers in public schools to access online research materials, digital textbooks, and other learning resources, while also supporting hybrid learning setups at home.
Each Bayanihan SIM was preloaded with more than 25 GB of monthly data intended to support lessons aligned with the curriculum of the Department of Education.
Distribution of the SIM cards started on Jan. 20 and continued until mid-February across the provinces of Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Agusan del Sur.
The initial rollout was conducted in the towns of Placer and Gigaquit in Surigao del Norte, where about 4,700 students from 17 schools received the SIM cards, followed by distribution in San Miguel and Madrid in Surigao del Sur, which reached around 1,100 learners from eight schools.
Further releases were carried out in Talacogon, Trento, and Veruela in Agusan del Sur, as well as in 12 schools on Siargao Island, particularly in General Luna and Pilar, serving nearly 2,000 more students, while officials said SIM cards automatically receive monthly data loads and additional distribution for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries is being prepared in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), with rollout expected in March.
