Advisory 01: PLDT, Smart preposition mission-critical manpower and equipment amid tropical depression ‘Dodong’ 

[14 July 2023] As of 11am, Philippine Standard Time, PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) have prepositioned mission-critical manpower and equipment in areas affected by the movement of tropical depression (TD) Dodong. 

“The Group is all set to deploy emergency response teams and resources should ‘Dodong’ intensify in the coming days. We are also preparing our command centers that will be operational 24/7 should there be a need,” said Cathy Yang, First Vice President and Head of Group Corporate Communications at PLDT and Smart. 

Weather bureau PAGASA reported that TD ‘Dodong’ is currently heading north northwestward over the Cagayan Valley and is now over the northwestern part of Cagayan area. 

Apart from Cagayan, the following provinces in Luzon are currently experiencing rains brought by ‘Dodong’: Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, the northern portion of Pangasinan, the northern and central portions of Aurora. 

Just this week, PLDT and Smart turned over Ligtas Kits to the municipalities of Casiguran and Dingalan in the province of Aurora to supplement their ongoing disaster preparedness, response, and recovery programs. 

The PLDT and Smart Ligtas Kit is an all- in-one communications package that provides quick, emergency communications support to communities especially during disasters. 

“Communication remains to be a lifeline during disasters and is as equally important as food and water. The key purpose of the PLDT and Smart Ligtas Kit is to keep more communities safe and protect our kababayans against threats of disasters through inclusive and sustainable communication technology,” Yang added. 

Each Ligtas Kit comes with the following equipment: power station, solar panel, rechargeable handy megaphone, crank radio, satellite phone (SAT), smart phone, Smart LTE pocket Wi-Fi, rechargeable flashlight, and whistle, which are packed in a protective hard case. 

PLDT and Smart will also help boost community response capacities through emergency communications training sessions.

The Group remains fully committed towards building a #SafeandSmart Philippines by providing communication as aid and promoting preparedness and immediate response through technology and capacity-building activities to help communities mitigate disaster risks. This is also aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal#11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.