Calamity and distance won't hinder Smart frontliners based in Western Visayas from extending support to their fellow Hiligaynons or 'kasimanwas' in the region. Championing the company’s core value of ‘malasakit’, Smart Negros Disaster Management Team was among the first responders to immediately extend aid to communities heavily impacted by Super Typhoon Odette in Negros Island.

Smart personnel from Regional Customer Development, Trade Marketing, and Network Field Services worked hand in hand to fast-track deployment of Libreng Tawag and Libreng Charging stations and distribution of relief packs to residents in storm-battered areas in the island. 



Smart Customer Development Manager Vicmar Awid did not expect Odette’s massive trail of devastation on the island. That was his first time responding to a super typhoon in his eight years in the province. But despite that, Awid persevered in organizing the team and in gathering support from their partners, including their regional and provincial distributors. 

“I am filled with gratitude and fulfillment. It is indeed a heartwarming memory. Because of our group’s unity, we were able to make a difference to the lives of the victims,” Awid said.

Meanwhile, Smart Area Development Manager Allan Luna had to fly to Manila two days after Odette. He may have been outside Negros when relief operations started, but this did not stop him from leading the rest of his team as they helped Negrenses recover from the devastation. Thanks to the quick work of on-ground personnel in reactivating affected services in the province, Luna was able to communicate with his team and coordinate with other departments in the company to immediately respond and help affected communities.



“The good thing is that in the group we all worked together, and no one complained. Everyone sacrificed to help,” Luna said. He may have regretted not being able to join the team and personally extend help to the people, but he was still happy with his contributions despite him being physically apart from his team.

Among the team are the following: Regional Customer Development Center Head/AVP Ediner Tinio, Trade Marketing Center Head/AVP Grace Ruperto, Area Development Managers Allan Luna and Arturo Lamayo, Postpaid Field Sales Manager Mark Jason Palo and Rolando Brilliantes, Jr., Customer Development Managers Vicmar Awid, Arthur Labrador, Madiorie Tabucao, and Jovel de la Cruz, SMMT Specialist Joy Bonda, TMD Officer Hope Ferraris, and Senior WNFS Supervisor Florencio Porras.