TELECOM | Telco, fintech players push inclusion, safety, and digital access across communities
These developments underscore a recurring theme in the Philippine digital economy.
Source: PLDT-Smart
Major Philippine telecommunications and fintech companies are expanding efforts to improve digital access, financial inclusion, and workplace safety, as recent initiatives by PLDT, Smart Communications, and Maya show how technology is being positioned as both infrastructure and social enabler.
Across education, connectivity, overseas financial literacy, travel services, and occupational safety, the initiatives reflect a broader push to embed digital tools into everyday Filipino life, both locally and abroad.
Technology for inclusive learning
PLDT and Smart recently rolled out an Android Accessibility Training program aimed at students with disabilities, highlighting how mobile technology can be adapted for inclusive education.
Developed with nonprofit organizations ATRIEV (Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation, Integration, and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired) and the NORFIL Foundation, the pilot training was conducted at Padre Gomez Elementary School in Manila. Nineteen special needs education students participated in the five-day program, which focused on using built-in Android accessibility features and learning applications for schoolwork and daily activities.
According to PLDT and Smart, the sessions introduced interactive reading apps, gamified math tools, and communication features designed for learners with sensory or learning disabilities. Trainers from ATRIEV—many of whom have disabilities themselves—led the workshops to ensure accessibility tools were demonstrated in practical and intuitive ways.
The program was supported by the Department of Education’s Schools Division Office of Manila and held as part of the city’s 69th Special Needs Education Week. PLDT and Smart said the initiative forms part of their IDEATe program, which promotes inclusion, diversity, equity, and advocacy through technology.
Expanding connectivity, digital infrastructure
PLDT and Smart also reiterated support for the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s push to improve internet affordability and value nationwide.
Menardo G. Jimenez, PLDT chief operating officer and the group’s representative to the Private Sector Advisory Council of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., cited lower data prices, faster fiber speeds, and connectivity programs for geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas as outcomes of government–private sector collaboration.
Smart highlighted changes in mobile data offerings over recent years, pointing to increased data allocations while maintaining price levels. The PLDT Group said it continues to invest in fiber and wireless networks to strengthen nationwide connectivity.
Beyond consumer services, PLDT said it supports government-led initiatives such as the Bayanihan SIM project and public-sector connectivity programs through PLDT Enterprise. Its ICT arm, ePLDT Inc., is also advancing digital platforms such as Pilipinas Cloud and Pilipinas AI, aimed at supporting enterprises, government agencies, and communities.
The launch of VITRO Santa Rosa, described as the country’s largest AI-ready hyperscaler campus, was cited as part of efforts to attract global cloud and AI providers and position the Philippines as a regional digital services hub.
Financial inclusion for OFWs
In parallel, Maya is extending financial inclusion initiatives beyond the Philippines, focusing on overseas Filipinos through financial literacy and digital adoption programs.
In Hong Kong, Maya participated in the Financial Literacy and Digital Adoption Program for the Overseas Filipino Worker community, organized by FintechAlliance.PH in coordination with the Philippine Consulate General. The session covered digital savings, responsible credit use, remittance management, and scam prevention, aligned with Maya’s Financial Fitness (FinFit) program.
The event was held alongside the Hong Kong FinTech Festival 2025 and featured participation from multiple fintech companies. Maya said the initiative reflects efforts to help overseas Filipinos build long-term financial confidence, particularly as remittances remain a critical source of household income in the Philippines.
Hong Kong government data cited in the release showed more than 200,000 Filipinos recorded in the territory in the 2021 population census, underscoring the scale of the overseas Filipino community the program aims to reach.
Embedding lifestyle services into digital banking
Maya has also moved to integrate lifestyle benefits directly into its digital banking platform through a partnership with Dragonpass, introducing in-app global airport lounge access for Maya Black Credit Card holders.
The feature allows cardholders to generate a QR code within the Maya app to access participating airport lounges worldwide, without the need for separate registrations or third-party applications. Maya said it is the first fintech platform in the Philippines to embed global lounge access through an application programming interface.
Each Maya Black cardholder receives one complimentary lounge pass per quarter, valid at participating airports in the Philippines and overseas. The lounge access joins other card features such as spend controls, numberless card design, AI-driven fraud protection, and rewards.
Maya cited industry data showing that credit card ownership remains limited among Filipinos, positioning its digital-first approach as a way to broaden access to financial and lifestyle services through simplified onboarding and app-based delivery.
Workplace safety and operational resilience
Alongside digital inclusion and financial services, PLDT and Smart were also recognized for workplace safety, receiving awards from the Safety Organization of the Philippines for achieving 20 million safe man hours.
The recognition was conferred during SOPI’s National Industrial Safety Conference and Annual Assembly, which focused on occupational safety and health resiliency and sustainability. Awards included the Presidential Award for Safety Man Hours and Safety Milestone Awards.
PLDT said the achievement reflects long-standing efforts to institutionalize safety practices across offices, field operations, technical sites, and contact centers, supported by regular training, drills, risk assessments, and preventive programs.
A broader digital push
Taken together, the initiatives highlight how major telco and fintech players are positioning technology not only as infrastructure but also as a tool for inclusion, safety, and everyday utility—from classrooms and remote communities to overseas workplaces and airport lounges.
These developments underscore a recurring theme in the Philippine digital economy: scale and innovation matter, but so does how technology is applied in ways that are accessible, practical, and grounded in real-world needs.
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