Smart Communications Inc., in partnership with parent firm PLDT Inc., is reinforcing its cooperation with the government by actively supporting the Bayanihan SIM initiative—a program led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) extending mobile connectivity to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).
Under the initiative, Smart distributes free TNT SIM cards with 25GB monthly data for one year, fully subsidized by the government. Beneficiaries, identified by the Department of Education (DepEd), include students and teachers from public elementary and high schools.
The first rollout occurred in Masinloc, Zambales, covering Bani National High School – Coto Annex, Coto Elementary School, and Mandaloy Elementary School. Smart deployed teams to support SIM registration and digital onboarding through the Smart App.
Smart COO Anastacio Boy R. Martirez emphasized the telco’s alignment with national goals: “This initiative reinforces our commitment to leave no Filipino offline… and is a step towards a more inclusive digital future.”
PLDT COO Butch Jimenez highlighted the group’s broader strategy, citing the importance of private-public collaboration. “Nation-building is a shared responsibility. Through Bayanihan SIM, we continue to bridge the digital divide and support the national agenda,” he said.
The Bayanihan SIM is supported by PLDT’s fiber backbone and Smart’s mobile network, reflecting the group’s ongoing investment in expanding digital access and enhancing nationwide connectivity, especially through its integrated fixed, wireless, and 5G infrastructure.
