PLDT/Smart partners with Bohol towns for high-speed internet connectivity

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

BOHOL Province – PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc., (Smart) partners with the municipalities of San Miguel and Inabanga in Bohol for high-speed internet access for the people and communities to provide the much-needed connectivity in these agricultural towns, in a virtual contract signing in August this year.

San Miguel mayor Virgilio Mendez and Inabanga mayor Josephine Jumamoy highlighted the importance of reliable internet and WiFi to their constituents especially with the new normal and the demands of digital and online learning I this time of pandemic.

“Over the past few years, I personally witnessed how difficult it is for school-age children without the means for internet access to meet the demands of modular learning and other alternative methods.  With better connectivity in San Miguel, they are assured that no learner is left behind, following the massive shift from traditional learning to online education,” Mendez added.

Mendez said he also aims to modernize the schools in his town, and he is very grateful to PLDT and Smart for giving them the opportunity to enjoy this kind of development for the community.

Inabanga mayor Jumamoy on the other hand said that the internet connectivity, which is particularly crucial these days, will really be a big help to his constituents, saying that the Internet plays a key role in the town's vision to become globally competitive. 

“Thank you PLDT and Smart for making this partnership possible and for bringing the residents of Inabanga digitally closer during these unprecedented times. The free public WiFi service to be installed in our municipal ground allows us to stay together in an era of physical distancing,” Jumamoy added.

According to PLDT/Smart that the installation of fast, reliable, and fiber-powered Smart WiFi in the towns’ plazas, municipal halls, public markets, Inabanga Cultural and Creative Park, and a VOC-TEC (Vocational-Technical) school in San Miguel, helps fulfill the daily internet needs of residents, not only for entertainment and recreation but also for learning and education.

Jumamoy's vision of transforming Inabanga into a globally competitive agri-business center has been supported by PLDT's Beyond Fiber lines, fueling enterprises of all sizes. This business-grade plan boosts productivity and efficiency through bundled digital tools and customizable packages to spur economic growth in Inabanga.

Mendez also seeks to explore the role of technology, e-commerce, and digital trading to rural development.  Gaining access to PLDT and Smart’s internet service allows farmers to interact with consumers online and to make contactless transactions, especially during this pandemic and boost San Miguel’s agriculture sector.

PLDT/Smart collaborate with LGUs to provide benefits of tech-enabled health care

According to Smart First Vice President and Regional Head Hoyle Raul Disuanco that fast and reliable internet connectivity is essential in both town’s immunization efforts and management of mass vaccination campaigns through streamlined online registration systems.

“A number of divides still exist in society – one of which is unequal access to internet and communication infrastructures between the rural and urban areas. PLDT and Smart ensure to bridge this gap by promoting an inclusive digital transformation across every region so that technological opportunities are harnessed by all,” Disuanco said.

Jimmy Chua, AVP & Head of Corporate Relationship Management, PLDT Enterprise said that with the internet as a key enabler of change, PLDT and Smart will continue to deliver innovations that will help San Miguel and Inabanga in their transformation journey.

“We are committed to answering the call of the provincial government through the office of Gov. Arthur Yap to assist in bringing connectivity closer to critical municipalities in Bohol, irrespective of economic, political, social, or geographical circumstances,” Chua added.

Apart from the existing PLDT broadband services and ongoing fiber expansion across the province, PLDT through PLDT Enterprise is also preparing future growth opportunities in San Miguel and Inabanga including the provision of more postpaid plans, the introduction of cybersecurity solutions, and the implementation of a unified trunk line, allowing centralized government responses, he bared.

These initiatives are aligned with Smart's thrust in its "Live Smarter for a Better World" campaign, which elevates Smart's long-running community partnership programs and enables personal revolutions that inspire lasting positive change through connectivity and CSR initiatives, Chua said. 

The deployment of Smart WiFi is part of PLDT and Smart’s nationwide rollout and expansion of their integrated fixed wireless networks.  To date, Smart’s wireless network, according to third-party analytics firm Ookla, covers 96 percent of the Philippine population from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi.

Leading the virtual partnership ceremonies in San Miguel were Mayor Mendez and Vice Mayor Faustino Bulaga.  In Inabanga, at the helm were Mayor Josephine Jumamoy and Vice Mayor Rodrigo Jumamoy.

Both events were joined by Smart and PLDT representatives led by FVP and Head of Smart Regional Customer Development for VisMin Hoyle Raul Disuanco, AVP and Head of Corporate Relationship Management, PLDT Enterprise Jimmy Chua, VP and Center Head of Consumer WiFi and Mobile Advertising Nikko Galvez, and AVP, Smart Head of Community Solutions and Business Development Pedro Luis de Guzman.