Hundreds of Filipino families have received more assistance from PLDT and Smart, as the Group ramps up the distribution of relief assistance to typhoon-hit communities in North and Central Luzon to reach more communities in need.
“PLDT and Smart have continued to collaborate and coordinate with internal and external partners to extend much-needed assistance in various forms since Egay made landfall. We remain fully committed to keeping this momentum and quickly reach as many typhoon-hit communities as possible,” said Cathy Yang, FVP and Head of Group Corporate Communications at PLDT and Smart.
Over the last week, the PLDT Group has delivered aid in the form of food packs, hygiene kits, sleeping mats, and blankets. Communication support such as Libreng Tawag (free calls), Libreng Charging (free charging), and Libreng WiFi (free WiFi) stations, and emergency load assistance have been extended to residents in Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Benguet, Batanes, Bulacan, and Pampanga.
More municipalities in Aurora, Benguet, and Ilocos Sur received relief goods from the Group, with more batches of aid to be distributed to other far-flung communities in the coming days. PLDT and Smart sales and network teams facilitated the immediate delivery of relief and turned over the goods to the communities represented by the respective Mayors of each municipality.
Recognizing the role of communication as a lifeline during disasters, PLDT and Smart continuously leverage their network and technology to keep communities safe. The Group recently turned over a Ligtas Kit to Casiguran, Aurora.
An all-in-one communications package, the Ligtas Kit aims to aid local government units and serve the communication needs of communities during disasters, including residents with disabilities, and leave no one behind.
“We continue to have barangays that experience limited or no mobile signal coverage. The satellite phone provided in the Ligtas Kit will be immensely valuable for our emergency response efforts,” Mayor Roy emphasized. “This tool will enable us to furnish these areas with up-to-date information about impending disasters and establish communication in case of any such event,” he further explained.
PLDT and Smart remain fully committed to building a #SafeandSmart Philippines through continuous availability of communication services, mobile solutions and activities to help communities mitigate disaster risks. The initiative also underscores the commitment of PLDT and Smart to attaining the UNSDGs, particularly SDG #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
