Leading integrated telco network PLDT Inc (PLDT) and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) are expanding their disaster preparedness expertise to the barangay level as part of the company's push to help boost the country's culture of resilience.

In partnership with Barangay Baccuit Sur in Bauang, La Union, PLDT engineers assigned at the company’s La Union Cable Landing Station (LUCLS) shared practical tips for creating effective disaster resilience plans to help the community safeguard their homes and families during emergencies.

Jacques Dean O. Gutierrez Jr., Head of LUCLS Operations, led the activity by sharing insights on disaster planning, focusing on how individuals and families can protect their homes and loved ones during disasters. Gutierrez also presented a disaster preparedness guide, providing essential strategies for communities to plan effectively before emergencies arise. An interactive Q&A portion after the lecture also reinforced key lessons.

"Through this activity, we recognize the importance of actively engaging our local communities in order to foster a culture of resilience," Gutierrez said. "This initiative is also aligned with our commitment to the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), ensuring we provide a beneficial social development program that involves our employees, the host barangay, and other parts of communities where we have critical facilities," he added.

Artemio Yadao, Baccuit Sur barangay captain, hailed the event as a significant step toward building a more resilient community. "The knowledge shared by La Union Cable Landing Station and the practical tools they provided, like the Go Bags and pocket procedure guides, will empower our residents to take proactive steps in disaster preparedness. It is reassuring to see how eager everyone was to learn and how this event brought us closer as a community,” he said.

"This initiative is anchored on the company's Resilient Citizen Program and will be subsequently rolled out at the Batangas and Daet International Cable System Stations in the coming months to boost the disaster preparedness know-how of employees, their families and the communities surrounding PLDT's critical network facilities," said Leo A. Gonzales, VP and Head of Property Facilities and Asset Resiliency Management.

It also boosts PLDT's "Iwas Kable" campaign in barangays near the ocean, whose main objective is to ensure the protection of both PLDT's submarine cable systems and the fisherfolk, who need to be made aware that these cables are energized.

PLDT and Smart’s Business Continuity and Resilience Office Business Continuity Awareness Program supports the company’s thrust for resiliency and industry-leading operational excellence for enhanced stakeholder confidence.

These initiatives also align with the PLDT Group’s commitment to support the Philippine government's digitalization thrust, and the country's attainment of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) No. 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.