PLDT and Smart have activated three mobile cell sites in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas in Cebu, Bukidnon and Cotabato in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), local governments and community organizations.
The sites are located in Barangay Cansuje in Argao, Cebu; Barangay Cacaon in Talakag, Bukidnon; and Barangay Lampayan in Matalam, Cotabato. Ceremonial switch-on activities were held on Oct. 12, Oct. 26 and Oct. 28, respectively.
The rollout aims to improve mobile connectivity and access to digital services in communities where reliable telecommunications infrastructure remains limited, supporting education, economic participation and access to government services.
“Connectivity can make a real difference in people’s lives, especially in communities where access has long been a challenge,” said Blums Pineda, senior vice president and head of the Enterprise Business Group at PLDT and Smart.
Pineda said the partnership with DICT, local governments and community partners aims to extend the benefits of digital access to more Filipinos.
The initiative also includes the Bayanihan SIM Distribution Program, a collaboration between PLDT-Smart and DICT supporting the Bayanihan SIM initiative of the Private Sector Advisory Council and DICT.
The program seeks to help residents, students and community stakeholders access digital platforms, government services and online opportunities.
Engr. Pinky T. Jimenez, DICT assistant secretary for infostructure management, said improving digital inclusion requires making technology and digital services accessible regardless of where people live.
“Through initiatives such as Bayanihan SIM and our collaboration with PLDT, Smart, and local government units, we are working to make digital services more accessible to unserved and underserved communities,” Jimenez said.
The rollout also includes PLDT and Smart’s School-in-a-Bag program, which provides underserved schools with technology-enabled learning tools and digital resources.
Planned donations will benefit Cansuje Elementary School in Cebu, Cacaon Elementary School in Bukidnon and Lampayan Elementary School in Cotabato.
The program aims to give students and teachers greater access to digital learning resources and opportunities to develop digital skills.
PLDT Enterprise said the initiative forms part of its efforts to support public-sector digital transformation through connectivity and information and communications technology solutions.
The company said the collaboration brings together mobile infrastructure, SIM distribution and digital learning resources to help communities participate in an increasingly connected economy.
Full disclosure: All news articles published on the TechSabado website are written by human journalists, unless otherwise specified. Final text editing is also performed by human editors, with artificial intelligence (AI) used only to assist with additional grammar and style guide corrections..
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