Students in remote areas get free internet access

MANILA, Philippines — Telecommunications giant Smart Communications Inc. has joined the government’s free SIM (subscriber identity module) initiative by providing subsidized internet services to students in Zambales.

Smart yesterday said it is helping in the government program called Bayanihan SIM, wherein telcos give students free SIM cards, which they can use for their studies.

The SIM cards come with a data package of 25GB per month, good for one year.

The cost of the internet connection is subsidized by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Smart chief operating officer Anastacio Martirez said the company has started distributing free SIM cards in Masinloc, Zambales, particularly to students of the Bani National High School-Coto Annex, Coto Elementary School and Mandaloy Elementary School.

Martirez said Smart deployed personnel in schools to assist students in registering their SIMs.

Students were also taught how to reload their data and monitor usage.

He said Smart’s participation in the Bayanihan SIM is part of the company’s commitment to expanding internet access in geographically isolated disadvantaged areas.

Martirez said the program would help students pursue their education and allow family members to stay in touch with each other.

“This program is a step toward a more inclusive digital future, wherein every Filipino, regardless of location, can participate in learning, livelihood and nation-building,” Martirez said.

In an earlier interview with The STAR, Information Undersecretary Paul Mercado said the DICT is allocating P3 billion for the procurement of one million SIM cards.

Mercado said the SIM cards would be distributed to students in far-flung areas so they can access the internet, especially when studying.

The Bayanihan SIM program will be rolled out until the end of the Marcos administration in 2028.

Funding for the data subsidies would be sourced from the budget of the Free Public Internet Access Program (FPIAP).

For this year, the DICT received P7.5 billion to fund the expansion of the FPIAP. In previous years, it was allocated only P2.5 billion for the program.

The DICT is refining its program to extend free internet in underserved communities, as it works to trim the cost of contracting providers and their services.