Super Typhoon Odette may have posed tough challenges to heavily impacted communities, but they’ve only strengthened the resolve of PLDT’s frontliners to reconnect people with their loved ones.

59-year-old PLDT engineer Roland Locaylocay is no stranger to responding to calamities. But he admitted that Odette was, by far, the strongest storm he had ever encountered. “Even my home was not spared from Odette’s wrath. Despite that, I still consider myself blessed because my family and I were safe and I was still able to work to reconnect our PLDT and Smart subscribers in Cebu,” he said.

As part of the restoration team, Locaylocay recalled seeing broken poles blocking the roads, tons of cables strewn on the ground, and countless fiber cuts. He shared how he nearly cried after seeing the extent of devastation in Cebu.  Knowing the gravity of the task, Locaylocay and his fellow PLDT frontliners worked round-the-clock to bring back connectivity and communication lines in the province.  He pulled in all the help they could get, closely coordinating with local government units and electric companies to expedite clearing operations and make way for restoration efforts.

“This whole experience has highlighted for me the importance of teamwork and collaboration. No matter how big the problem is, as long as many are working together, we can all reach the end of these difficult times. I am motivated to work harder in improving myself to be more prepared for calamities like this,” he said.

These efforts from dedicated PLDT and Smart frontliners form part of the company’s #SafeandSmart advocacy, promoting preparedness and immediate response through network resilience, continuous availability of communication services, and relief assistance to help communities mitigate disaster risks. These initiatives also underscore the commitment of PLDT and Smart to attaining the United Nations SDGs, particularly SDG #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.