Uplifting the GIDAs: Toward inclusive national progress

The recent distribution of SIM cards spearheaded by the Department of Information and Communication Technology in partnership with Globe Telecoms to students of Kalawakan Elementary School in Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan, is more than a gesture of connectivity.

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It is a strong statement of commitment to bridge the digital divide in the Philippines' geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAS). At the same site, Kalawakan Proper, Governor Daniel Fernando also led the planting of over 1,000 tree seedlings to mark Arbor Day on June 25, reaffirming the deep link between environmental stewardship and inclusive development.

These two acts providing students with access to digital tools and nurturing the environment underscore a larger narrative: that true national progress cannot be achieved without uplifting the lives of our most remote and underserved communities. For the Philippines to realize the vision set out in Ambisyon 2040 “matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay,” or “a strongly rooted, comfortable, and secure life for all Filipinos” - GIDAs must be brought firmly into the fold of inclusive growth.