PLDT is ramping up its efforts to help LGUs become Smart Cities with its digital solutions that enhance internet connectivity, ease of doing business, safety, and security, digital payments and disbursements, and eHealthcare.
Vince Rodriguez, PLDT Enterprise Business Head of Luzon and GMM LGU CRM said that PLDT has been connecting Filipinos for over 90 years through its fixed and wireless networks, internet, broadband, data centers, cloud and managed IT services, digital disbursements and payments, cybersecurity, and Internet of Things.
He made the statement at a panel discussion on digital transformation in Government at the GoDigital Pilipinas (GDP) Movement launch held here recently.
GDP is a movement under the Presidential Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), which aims to address the risk of a digital divide by fostering digital literacy and creating a sustainable digital ecosystem in the country.
PLDT and Smart President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio is one of the founding members of PSAC, under its Digital Infrastructure pillar.
Rodriguez stressed the importance of public-private sector collaboration in advancing digital transformation across the country.
“Smart Cities are built on key foundations of strong and reliable internet connections, ease of doing business, safety and security, digital payments and digital disbursements, and eHealthcare. Our goal is to help LGUs take the next step in becoming a city that is connected, progressive, and smart,” he said.
He added that PLDT has been working with various government agencies and private sector organizations to support LGUs in their digital journey.
“To achieve this, we have been working with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), and JCI Manila through our #UsapangSmartCities,” Rodriguez said. “Partnerships, associations, and community engagement with organizations such as GDP are critical in building Smart Cities where connectedness, communication, and collaboration are key.”
PLDT Enterprise is the B2B arm of PLDT that offers fixed, wireless, and ICT solutions to LGUs to improve their government services and local operations.
As of end-March 2023, PLDT had expanded its total fiber footprint to over 1.1 million kilometers, consisting of over 231,000 kilometers of international fiber and over 874,000 kilometers of domestic fiber.
This fiber infrastructure also supports Smart’s 3G, 4G/LTE and 5G network, which covers 97 percent of the country’s population as of end-March 2023.
PLDT and Smart’s continued efforts to support more cities in their digital transformation through their integrated fixed and wireless networks contribute to the PLDT Group’s endeavors to provide connectivity to all and to anchor initiatives on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), particularly on SDG No. 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
