Bicol: The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will distribute more than 41,000 SIM cards to schools and students in remote areas of the Bicol Region. DICT Assistant Secretary for Regional Development and officer-in-charge, Regional Director June Vincent Manuel Gaudan, announced that the SIM cards, part of the Bayanihan SIM initiative, would be distributed in areas with limited internet connectivity.

According to Philippines News Agency, Gaudan stated during a media “Kapihan” event that the SIM cards would provide 25 gigabytes (GB) of data every month for an entire year. A total of 41,700 SIM cards will be provided free of charge to students at 15 different locations in the region. Gaudan emphasized that the purchase of the SIM cards would lead to the establishment of more than 3,000 new cell sites.

The initiative requires service providers to build new cell sites as part of their network expansion efforts. This move aims to bring communities closer and open up new opportunities for students. The SIM card beneficiaries will be identified through coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Department of Education.

Gaudan highlighted that the program is specifically targeted at schools, ensuring students have internet access to complete their assignments. This initiative represents the first batch of distributions, with more expected in the future.

In addition to the SIM card distribution, Gaudan reported that the DICT has been active in disaster interventions in provinces severely affected by weather disturbances, such as Severe Tropical Storm Opong in Masbate and Super Typhoon Uwan in Catanduanes. In Masbate, DICT installed at least 10 Low Earth Orbit Starlink satellite units, alongside 100 Starlink units donated by SpaceX, and additional units from the DICT Bicol office and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

In Catanduanes, 37 Starlink units have been activated, with two units installed in Tiwi, Albay schools. These efforts aim to enhance connectivity in disaster-affected areas, supporting education and communication needs during recovery periods.