PLDT AVP and Head of Corporate Relationship Management for One Mindanao Ben Melasa
PLDT vows to provide businesses the support they need to jumpstart their recovery, as enterprises in Davao and other parts of Mindanao start opening up following COVID-19 restrictions.
“Businesses need to be connected with strong reliable and readily available connections, whether it may be fixed or wireless or a combination of both, and we at PLDT Enterprise are always striving to make a positive impact on every business. We assure businesses our commitment to them, and we know that this sector is the key for inclusive economic recovery of the country,” stressed PLDT AVP and Head of Corporate Relationship Management for One Mindanao Ben Melasa during the recent virtual Asia CEO Davao Forum.
Despite the pandemic, Melasa has observed that organizations are rediscovering optimism and drive, reinventing their business models on how they do business – shifting to online platforms and speeding up their digital transformation. As businesses continue to respond to the crisis, they have explored new ways to operate and drive growth for their companies.
In coping with the operational challenges imposed by health measures and lockdowns, PLDT introduced affordable connectivity and business solutions to help entrepreneurs pivot their operations to digital, offering solutions such as BEYOND FIBER.
BEYOND FIBER was initially offered as a stimulus package that provided fixed and wireless connectivity bundled with enterprise-grade business applications and cybersecurity features that complemented remote work among businesses.
“Davao’s businesses have learned to cope with the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and we credit PLDT for enabling companies, especially MSMEs like my company Segworks Technologies Corporation, execute our work-from-home strategies,” according to Samuel Matunog, President of Davao City’s ICT Council. He also noted the vast improvement in SMART’s wireless network, and PLDT’s expansion of its fiber network to the various barangays in the city. These initiatives, Matunog said, foster and fast-track innovation and digital transformation in the countryside.
To succeed in their digital transformation, Melasa stressed key points that entrepreneurs have to remember. First, the digital experience has to be easy in an environment where customers will engage you through multiple digital channels. Second, the experience has to be immediate as customers today expect end-to-end transactions quickly and conveniently. Also, the experience has to be always on, and lastly the experience has to be secure. “The businesses now is all about trust and reputation,” he added.
Aside from delivering key technology services to the business communities in Davao, PLDT has strongly partnered with the Davao LGU in rolling out their vaccination programs to further spur the economic recovery of the region.
These include its all out support for the LGU’s vaccination drives for BPO employees and the vaccination of employees of the MVP Group in Mindanao.
“It is our vision to help our businesses to be bold and our passion to help our customers become brave. We will continue to provide digital solutions that will support businesses as they navigate this new business landscape,” shared Melasa.
PLDT and Smart’s relentless push to enable and empower businesses with technology and connectivity is also aligned with the group’s long-standing commitment to help the Philippines attain the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG #9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
