Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

HEADLINES

Smart boosts resilience of typhoon-prone areas with solar power

Smart installed solar-powered generators in communities in the Bicol region that often find themselves in the path of severe weather disturbances.

PLDT’s wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) installed solar-powered generators in communities in the Bicol region that often find themselves in the path of severe weather disturbances.     

Among the recipients of the project are:     

Labo, Camarines Norte      
Garchitorena, Camarines Sur      
Siruma, Camarines Sur      
Cabusao, Camarines Sur      
Brgy. Misibis, Tiwi, Albay      
Cawayan High School, Manito, Albay      
Brgy. Buyo, Virac, Catanduanes      
Brgy. Tubaon, Virac, Catanduanes      
Pilar, Sorsogon      
Sorsogon City – City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO)

SOLAR 03

Smart taps Meralco renewable energy arm Spectrum to install solar-powered generators in typhoon-prone communities

Smart tapped affiliate company Meralco’s renewable energy arm, Spectrum, to deploy solar-powered generators with a capacity of 550Wp in these locations complemented by batteries that have a total capacity of 1.2kWh. The system can light up 30 5-watt LED lamps for eight hours daily, or power as many as eight desk fans.    

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“This initiative highlights our core value of ‘malasakit’ and commitment to help provide the needs of communities where we serve. We aim to be one of the pillars that support our fellow Filipinos especially in times of disaster,” said Alex Caeg, Senior Vice-President & Head of Consumer Sales Group at PLDT and Smart.   

Having a solar powered system also means that LGUs and disaster response teams can charge communication devices such as two-way radios, flashlights, and other rescue devices even if there are widespread power outages in their areas.    

SOLAR 02

“Over the years, we have seen the importance of alternative power sources in times of disaster. This project is a long-term solution that aims to boost the resilience of these communities in the face of natural calamities and the resulting power supply interruptions,” said John Palanca, Smart First Vice-President and Regional Head of Consumer Sales Group. The project also complements Smart’s ‘Libreng Tawag’ (free calls) stations that the company often deploys in heavily impacted areas.    

But some areas aren’t waiting for typhoon season to put the system to good use. In the town of Pilar, Sorsogon, the generators are being used in the municipality’s vaccination drive. “We are using the system to power up laptops and other devices of our rural health workers who are currently running vaccination efforts in our facility,” added Arnol Lista, who is the town’s Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer.

“This is helpful in disaster response. During typhoons, we need to constantly communicate with affected communities so we can assess the situation and find out what the challenges are in getting to these areas before deploying responders,” said Luisito Mendoza, OIC of Sorsogon City’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office. 

Both officials agree that going green is also practical.    

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“The system saves us money because we no longer have to spend on gasoline or diesel to power our generators,” said Mendoza.   

“Before, we used to rely on generators that run on fossil fuel and they could be costly. But now, we can harness the sun to provide us with electricity,” explained Lista.   

Last year, Typhoons Quinta, Rolly and Ulysses battered the Bicol region sending more than 50,000 families to evacuation centers after leaving a trail of destruction. The tropical cyclones amounted to some three billion pesos worth of damage across the region. At one point, Catanduanes was cut off from the rest of the country after Super Typhoon Rolly downed vital telecommunication installations.   

All these efforts are in line with the commitment of Smart and its parent firm, PLDT, to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), particularly the 9th UN SDG on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, through building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Like Us On Facebook

You May Also Like

HEADLINES

Smart continuously expands and enhances its mobile network, covering 97% of the population nationwide, enabling Filipinos to be more productive, entertained, and stay connected...

HEADLINES

According to the Global E-waste Monitor 2024 report by the International Telecommunication Union and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the Philippines...

HEADLINES

Catch j-hope’s electrifying performance and share your real-time experience of the ‘HOPE ON THE STAGE’ in MANILA for two straight nights, powered by Smart...

HEADLINES

With petabytes of data at its disposal, Smart aims to enhance customer experiences through A.I.-powered applications. Smart will use AWS’s services to unify Smart’s...

HEADLINES

PLDT and Smart also won the Company of the Year Award, a Gold Anvil for the TNT Petmaloop Challenge, and 12 Silver Anvils for...

HEADLINES

This latest innovation is set to bring high-speed, fiber-like connectivity to businesses and communities in underserved and unserved areas across the Philippines.

HEADLINES

This achievement reflects PLDT’s commitment to driving innovation, security, and digital transformation as it enhances network API capabilities to help businesses thrive in an...

HEADLINES

Bishop Daniel Oca Presto of the Diocese of San Fernando of La Union is championing the rollout of the crisis-resilient teaching pedagogy. He first...

Advertisement