PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) continue to strengthen their commitment to support local government units in providing better public service. PLDT and Smart executives recently made the rounds in Mindanao, including the cities of Isabela and Lamitan in Basilan province, to discuss opportunities for partnership and collaboration.

“We are glad to have had the chance to renew our ties in these diverse and culture-rich places. We see a lot of opportunities for us to work together with these progressive leaders. We will definitely continue to support their goal to provide effective governance, and their thrust to become tourist and business destinations as well,” said Alejandro O. Caeg, Senior Vice President and head of PLDT and Smart’s Consumer Sales Group.

The PLDT and Smart teams had encouraging discussions with Isabela Mayor Sitti Djaliah Hataman and Lamitan Mayor Roderick Furigay, who shared their plans for their respective cities, moreso, as they improve peace and order, business collaboration, and tourism within the area. With education being one of Mayor Hataman’s main advocacies under her platform #HAPIsabela, Smart has also previously donated School-in-a-Bag packages to last-mile schools in Isabela, through their partnership with the United States Agency for International Development.

John Gregory Palanca, First Vice President and Deputy Head of Consumer Sales Group for PLDT and Smart, expressed his intention to continue to support these education initiatives. “We want to help teachers and learners in far flung areas to have access to quality education. With our partners from Metro Pacific, we can also offer the Mwell App for residents to have online access to their medical needs.”

The group also had the chance to reinforce ties with the Police Regional Office IX, through Regional Director PBGEN Neil Alinsangan, who joined the team in Basilan. They also discussed how connectivity and technology go hand-in-hand with the maintenance of peace and order in this area. Rounding out the PLDT Group during the discussions were Smart Assistant Vice President and Center Head Jonathan Dela Cruz, and PLDT Vismin Home Sales Head George Clemente, Area Customer Development Managers Ma Theresa Macadaan and Hazel Nabatar, Trade Marketing Manager Junilyn Pol, and Network Field Services Mindanao Head Rommel Robillos.

Supporting the connectivity and digital solutions needs of local governments nationwide are PLDT and Smart's integrated fixed and wireless networks. These continued transformation efforts contribute to the PLDT Group’s endeavors to provide connectivity to all, and to anchor initiatives on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) particularly on SDG No. 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. [END]